STATE COLLEGE -- There’s good news about Lyme disease, Pennsylvanians. After a couple of years of leading the nation in “confirmed and probable” cases of the tick-borne disease, the experts expect the number of cases to level off.
“At this point we don’t expect to see cases rise,” Leah Lind, an epidemiology research associate from the state Department of Health, said recently. “However, over the past couple of years we’ve seen numbers plateau. We’re not sure why that has happened.”
In 2017, Pennsylvania led the nation with 11,900 confirmed and probable Lyme disease cases. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the state also had the highest number of Lyme Disease cases for 2016. Data from 2018 have yet to be released.
The disease is carried by black-legged or deer ticks in Pennsylvania.
Erika Machtinger, an assistant professor of entomology at Penn State who studies tick-host associations and has written scholarly articles about tick-borne diseases, including Lyme disease, said there are a lot of possible explanations for the high number of cases in Pennsylvania.
“Maybe our tests are getting better and people are wanting to be tested,” she said. The increased number of cases could also be due to changes in tick behavior or habitats, changes in host behavior, the presence of new hosts or climate change.
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection announced in March that it will begin a five-year study of Lyme disease to better predict the number of cases over the next couple of years, according to Machtinger.
“Year-to-year data is difficult to interpret. You want to see a pattern over the years,” she said. “The study can definitely give us a ‘where we’re at’ in this area.”
Richard Sherman probably wouldn’t be surprised at all the Lyme cases in the state. He said he thinks he’s gotten at least six tick bites in the 13 years he has lived in Pine Grove Mills, a small town near State College. Sherman, an associate professor of film-video at Penn State, lives on a mountain and frequently walks his dogs in the grassy and wooded areas near his house.
“I haven’t kept track, but I kind of don’t think about it when I’m out,” he said. “Getting bit so many times kind of forced me to change some habits, so going through the routine when I come home was something I had to do,” he said.
“The routine” Sherman refers to involves a thorough check of clothing and body when he comes inside. The CDC recommends close inspection of the joints, like behind the knee, and showering.
Said Lind, “If you do see a tick, remove it immediately. We found that the longer the tick is on your skin the more likely you are to get [a] disease."
The best way to remove a tick, according to the CDC, is to pull it straight out with a tweezers – no twisting, which can cause mouth parts to break off and remain in the skin. Then clean the area with soap and water or rubbing alcohol.
Lyme disease can be cured with antibiotics if detected early, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health website. Early symptoms range from a bull’s-eye rash, fatigue, fever and other flu-like symptoms.
According to the CDC website, later symptoms of untreated Lyme disease include heart palpitations, nerve pain and problems with short-term memory.
Activities such as hiking, yard work, and playing outdoors can put people at risk for getting tick bites. Ticks tend to congregate on the edges of tall grasses and forested areas.
“There might be a misconception that you have to be outdoors hiking to get Lyme disease, but you could really walk outside in your own back yard and get a tick,” Lind said.
Children are susceptible because they play outside, but older adults should protect themselves as well, Lind said. The CDC recommends wearing long pants, socks, and tucking in clothing.
“Regardless of what they’re doing they shouldn’t be scared to go outside,” Machtinger said. “They should do tick checks, use CDC repellent, and other things to stay safe.”
Chris Byrnes is an employee at Appalachian Outdoors in downtown State College. The store carries a variety of insect repellants and Permethrin-treated apparel. For those looking for a more natural choice, there are sprays containing plant-based lemon eucalyptus oil.
The CDC recommends using EPA-registered insect repellants containing DEET, Permethrin, or picaridin for protection against ticks. The EPA also provides an online search tool to find repellants that best suit an individual.
Byrnes, who goes hiking almost every day, said he uses a repellant jacket that contains Permethrin.
“You'll never be able to avoid getting bit. Bites are also painless, so you won't notice it when it happens,” he said.
According to the Pennsylvania Press Room, Gov. Tom Wolf has proposed allocating $2.5 million toward Lyme disease education and prevention in the 2019-20 budget. The allocation would be the same as last year’s.
Dejanae Gibson is a Penn State student majoring in print and digital journalism.