Tick-borne diseases are battering one island in Maine, and the problem is only expected to get worse as global temperatures rise.

What's happening?

According to Bangor Daily News, Islesboro, Maine, has the highest rate of tick-borne diseases in the state, with over 4,000 cases per 100,000 residents from 2018 to 2022. Though the island has long been a haven for ticks because of its warmer coastal weather and a deer population that serves as a host for these bloodsuckers, residents are now dealing with new tick-borne diseases.

The news site explained that locals have become accustomed to dealing with Lyme disease. However, the town recently reported its first case of babesiosis, another tick-borne disease. It's also seeing a growing number of anaplasmosis cases.

These newer illnesses can be harder to detect than Lyme and can cause worrying symptoms. One resident developed severe anemia after contracting babesiosis, and anaplasmosis can lead to organ failure and death. That's why many people in Islesboro are growing weary of spending time outside, even gardening, as they're afraid of the consequences of picking up a hitchhiking tick. 

"I didn't want to get near anything green," Deirdre Dixon, a seasonal resident who recently recovered from anaplasmosis, told Bangor Daily News. "It's like, you can have a really great garden, but it might kill you."

Why is this change in tick-borne diseases concerning?

One local nurse practitioner interviewed for the story said anaplasmosis has been on the rise for several years, and she said she expects this trend to continue as the climate changes and ticks spread east. She also said she expects another tick-borne disease — the untreatable and potentially deadly Powassan virus – to eventually arrive in the area. 

Meanwhile, experts have already seen the effects of warming temperatures on tick populations throughout North America. For instance, Lyme disease risk has doubled in the Canadian province of Quebec and tripled in Manitoba between 2000 and 2015, according to one study. Authorities in Montana sounded the alarm after a Lyme disease-carrying tick species was found on a dog there, and though this doesn't confirm that the disease has moved into the state, it has officials on the alert. 

What's being done about tick-borne diseases?

In Islesboro, an ongoing campaign to cull the deer population has aimed to reduce the number of ticks on the island. The island's land trust also said it designs trails extra wide to help walkers avoid tall grass where ticks might be lurking. In its programming directed at children, the land trust also encourages regular tick checks. Still, many older residents are leery of spending time outside, Bangor Daily News reported. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encourages people who are spending time outside to walk in the middle of trails to avoid ticks and keep their legs covered. Spraying footwear, clothing, and camping gear with insecticide that includes 0.5% permethrin can also help, according to the agency. 

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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