Maine health officials are warning residents that ticks remain active throughout fall, as the state edges toward a record-breaking year for tick-borne diseases.

What's happening?

WMTW reported that Maine is on pace to break tick-borne disease records again this year, with 3,569 cases of Lyme disease, 1,255 cases of anaplasmosis, 324 cases of babesiosis, 26 cases of hard tick relapsing fever, and one case of Powassan already recorded by the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention as of Oct. 15.

Although some parts of Maine have already seen frost or snow, state officials warned that ticks can remain active throughout fall and even winter. 

Why is this announcement important?

Several other states have reported spikes in tick-borne illnesses this year. Warmer weather is helping ticks and other disease-spreading vectors survive longer, giving them more time to breed. Higher temperatures are also helping ticks spread north and west to new parts of the U.S. and Canada. 

For instance, Lyme disease risk has doubled in the Canadian province of Quebec and tripled in Manitoba from 2000 to 2015, according to one study. Authorities in Montana sounded the alarm after a Lyme disease-carrying tick species was found on a dog there, an anomaly for the state. Although this doesn't confirm that the disease has moved into Montana, it has officials on alert. 

One island in Maine has gotten hit particularly hard by tick-borne diseases in recent years, with over 4,000 cases per 100,000 residents from 2018 to 2022. This has caused many residents to rethink outdoor activities. 

What's being done about tick-borne diseases?

The best way to prevent tick-borne diseases is to limit your exposure to ticks and avoid being bitten. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises avoiding woody or brushy areas with high grass and leaf litter. The agency also recommends walking toward the center of trails and treating clothing and gear with products containing 0.5% permethrin.

Vector control agencies across the U.S. are working to reduce tick populations. For instance, in Islesboro, Maine, where residents are especially at risk, an ongoing campaign to cull the deer population — the main host of disease-spreading ticks there — aims to reduce tick numbers. The local land trust also designs extra-wide trails to help walkers avoid tall grass where ticks might be hiding.

Scientists are also working on a new tick-repelling drug for humans that works similarly to the chewable tablets we give our dogs.

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