Tick-related emergency room visits are surging in this state

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR/Gray News) - Healthcare workers in Virginia say ticks are making their presence known across the state.

According to UVA Health, there has been an increased number of tick-related emergency room visits that have continued into the summer months after starting early this spring, compared to previous years.

Jeffrey Wilson, an associate professor in allergy and immunology at UVA Health, said ticks can cause problems in multiple ways.

“One of the big ones people think about is tick-borne infections,” Wilson said.

Ticks have also been linked to alpha-gal syndrome, a red meat allergy that can develop after a tick bite.

“You can develop a tick-acquired red meat allergy, which these days we more commonly know as the alpha-gal syndrome,” Wilson said. “So, all of these are potential bad things that can happen if you get a tick bite.”

Wilson said tick season peaks during spring and summer months, but it also extends into fall.

“There’s definitely an uptick. Unfortunately, summer is probably the worst while extending into fall a little bit,” Wilson said.

Winter tends to be quieter for ticks, though some species remain active on mild days.

Wilson recommends using repellents to prevent tick bites. He also recommends treating outdoor clothing with permethrin.

“Permethrin spray can go on your outdoor clothes. So if you have pants, if you have shoes that you use when you’re hiking or gardening or hunting or walking the dog, basically you can treat that clothing, and that clothing is also a good deterrent,” Wilson said.

Awareness and daily tick checks are also important, Wilson noted,

According to Wilson, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a study in April that indicated early signs of a significant tick year, and unfortunately, those numbers haven’t been wrong.

“We do know that emergency room visits for tick-related infections have been up ... it has been a big tick year,” Wilson said.