Researchers sound alarm over population surge of menacing creature: 'They are not dying off'

Experts in northern Indiana are warning residents of an uptick in the population of a tiny but menacing parasite. 

What's happening?

As The Observer reported, scientists are concerned that the tick population in St. Joseph County is exploding and placing ever more residents at risk of tick-borne disease. 

"With warmer winters, they are not dying off," Lee Haines, associate research professor at Notre Dame's department of biological science, told the publication. "Add in the fact we have lots of deer in St. Joe County — meaning the larger ticks have easy access to fine dining."

Haines also warned that mice are rapidly multiplying, adding to the tick buffet. 

The researchers sarcastically described the process for measuring tick numbers as being "very complex and scientific.

The "tick drag" method involves pulling a piece of cloth with a string to scoop up ticks in a given area. 

Aside from Lyme disease, another big worry is the still poorly understood Alpha-gal syndrome, which causes an allergy to red meat. 

Why is increasing tick numbers concerning?

As the atmosphere warms because of heat-trapping pollution from human activity, winters are becoming milder. 

This exacerbates the tick problem in two ways. One, it extends the breeding period of both ticks and their hosts, especially deer and rodents. Two, warmer winters increase the likelihood that people will come into contact with ticks in the first place. 

In a broader sense, scientists are gravely worried about how a warming planet will cause diseases to spread to unfamiliar locales. 

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As researchers from UC Davis warned, changing conditions will extend the range and viability of disease vectors. 

Extreme weather events are another climate-induced risk factor for the spread of infectious disease. 

What can be done about the increased number of ticks?

Managing the increased threat posed by ticks requires raising awareness of best practices while combating misinformation. 

Home remedies for tick removal may actually make the problem worse. Removing a tick properly is just a matter of using tweezers to pull the head straight up until it's off the skin. 

The experts suggested putting the tick in a Ziploc bag and freezing it, so that if you do fall ill, you have the culprit on hand to make medical treatment more effective.

Another critical point is that prevention is far more preferable to treatment. Wearing long sleeves on hiking trails, being vigilant when checking your skin when leaving nature zones, and applying the appropriate repellent are all simple, practical precautions that could save a loved one from a lifetime of health issues. 

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