Nasty Tick-Borne Diseases Are Making People Sick All Over the Country

As the weather gets warmer, the bugs are coming out to play-and carrying nasty diseases with them. While mosquitoes and fleas carry their own set of risks, a certain type of blood-sucking bug has been gaining more traction across the country: ticks.

The number of tick-borne diseases have more than doubled in the last 13 years, according to a 2018 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Why the increase? Ticks and the diseases they spread are making their way into new regions. Plus, people are traveling more than ever, boosting the odds of bringing an infection home from another country, where more rare vector-borne diseases may be robust.

The CDC identifies tick-borne illnesses as a public health threat and admits the problem is widespread and difficult to control. While these diseases occur all over the United States, the Northeast, upper Midwest, and southern parts of the country seem to be particularly vulnerable.

While not all tick-related infectious diseases are something to lose sleep over, knowing how to spot the symptoms is crucial to early treatment, which typically involves a round of antibiotics or other prescribed medications. Plus, different types of ticks spread different types of illnesses. Here, the ones you should watch out for, their symptoms, and how to protect yourself from a nasty tick bite this summer.

Read the full article by Alisa Hrustic on Yahoo.com here.