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Tick-borne diseases of all kinds are on the rise in the U.S., up by more than 10,000 cases from 2016 to 2017. The deer tick, also known as the black-legged tick, is a common summer nuisance. It's also a danger: Because ticks feed on the blood of human and animal hosts, they often pick up and spread germs from meal to meal. As a result, they can trasmit all kinds of nasty illnesses, from parasites to bacterial infections, to their human hosts. Ticks can be found in grassy or wooded areas, and are active any time temperatures are above freezing. Still, they're most common in spring and late summer to autumn, according to the New York Department of Health.
Two cases of the Powassan virus have been discovered in northern new Jersey, and a case was also confirmed in Maine, where the disease had not been seen since 2017, CNN reported. The virus causes fever, headache, vomiting, and fatigue. Severe cases can be fatal, since the virus can cause infection of the brain and spinal cord, resulting in disorientation, seizures, and loss of coordination and speech, according to the CDC. Long-term side effects can include loss of strength and memory problems. There is no treatment, and INSIDER previously reported that people infected have about a 50% chance of permanent damage and a 10% chance of death.
Lyme disease is the fastest-growing bug-borne illness in the nation. About 300,000 Americans each year report cases of Lyme disease, according to the CDC, and the number of actual cases that go unreported could be 8 to 10 times higher. Caused by Borrelia bacteria, Lyme disease can give you a fever, rash, muscle aches, and fatigue. In severe cases, it can cause nerve pain and damage, facial paralysis, and inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. It is recognizable by a distinct "bull's eye" rash, or a red spot on the skin surrounded by a red ring.
