Tick season seems to be off to a fast start, and some experts worry
about future illnesses
[April 27, 2026]
By MIKE STOBBE
NEW YORK (AP) — Tick season seems to be off to a fast start, with an
unusually high number of bites already reported across the country.
Some U.S. doctors are worried about the potential for a bad year for
tick-borne diseases.
“If you have a lot of exposures, there will probably be more cases of
tick-related infections,” said Dr. Alina Filozov, an infectious disease
doctor at Middlesex Hospital in Middletown, Connecticut.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an early advisory
to the public this week to guard against ticks.
Tick bites typically spike in May, but “the data are telling us now is
the time to take action,” said Alison Hinckley, a CDC Lyme disease
expert. “Ticks are out and people are getting bitten.”
ER visits for tick bites are running high
Current data is very limited, but the early signs are not good.
The CDC's tracking system shows that weekly rates of ER visits for tick
bites are the highest for this time of year since 2017. That's true in
all regions of the country, except the south-central United States.
About 85% of U.S. hospital emergency departments send data to the
surveillance system, but it doesn't capture people who didn't go to a
hospital.
It will take months for systematic tick sampling by researchers to chart
changes in tick populations. And because not every bite results in an
infection, it will also take time for medical experts to know whether
there’s an actual surge in Lyme disease or other illnesses.
Ticks cause disease, including a meat allergy
Ticks are small, eight-legged bloodsucking parasites — arachnids, not
insects — that feed on animals and sometimes people.
Tick populations vary throughout the year, and their numbers depend on a
few factors. Climate change is widely believed to be having an effect:
Ticks like warm, humid weather, and more can be seen after a mild
winter. The more deer and mice available for them to feed on may also
factor.
Some ticks are infected with germs that can cause serious diseases,
including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and alpha-gal
syndrome, a red meat allergy. Lyme disease is the most common, with an
estimated 476,000 people treated for it each year, according to the CDC.
Infections are commonly treated with antibiotics.
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This undated photo provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention shows a blacklegged tick, also known as a
deer tick. (CDC via AP, File)
 So far this year, most ticks seen in
the Northeast have been large adult ticks. But in the weeks ahead,
juvenile nymphs will become more common. The emergence of nymphs,
along with more people spending time outdoors, are among the reasons
tick bites tend to be highest in May. Worse, tiny nymphs attached to
people are harder to see — and often are there longer — leading to
an increased risk of infections, experts say.
A notorious hot spot is seeing a tick surge
Connecticut has a connection to tick-borne disease — Lyme disease is
named after a town there. And earlier this month, the Connecticut
Agricultural Experiment Station reported that residents were already
submitting an average of 30 ticks per day for testing.
State officials also said an unusually high percentage of the
submitted ticks — 40% — tested positive for the bacteria that cause
Lyme disease.
Several factors have been helping tick populations expand, including
unusually high numbers of mice in the last two years, said Scott
Williams, a tick researcher at the Connecticut Agricultural
Experiment Station.
All we have so far is an early snapshot, said Megan Linske, a
wildlife biologist with the same agency. She expects the problem to
continue to worsen, with more ticks spreading over more areas.
How to prevent tick bites
Experts advise that if you go outdoors, note any wooded areas and
grassy properties that start bleeding into wooded areas. Ticks tend
to perch on ankle-level vegetation with their upper legs
outstretched, waiting to latch on to an unsuspecting dog or human.
Try to walk in the middle of paths. Wear light-colored clothing
treated with the insecticide permethrin. And use Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents.
If you do find a tick, remove it immediately. It's not necessary to
go to a doctor unless you think the tick has been on you for days or
if you develop a rash or other symptoms, experts said.
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