By: Alexandra Martinez, Follow South Jersey Intern
SOUTH JERSEY — When Summer and warmer weather comes rolling in, so do the bugs. The New Jersey Department of Health, Environmental Protection, and Agriculture want residents to be safe and aware of preventative measures against potential tick and mosquito bites.
Though June 16-22 was National Mosquito Control Awareness Week, this does not mean that awareness and preparation should stop there. In 2023, the United States saw an estimated 476,000 Lyme disease, and 2,406 West Nile virus disease diagnoses. These are both known as vector-borne diseases, Lyme disease transmitted through ticks and West Nile virus (the most reported mosquito-borne disease in New Jersey) transmitted through mosquitoes.
Some of the following signs and symptoms for Lyme disease include:
- Rash resembling that of a bullseye
- Tiredness
- Fever
- Headache
- Stiff neck
- Muscle aches
- Joint pain
- In severe cases: Developed arthritis, and problems with the nervous system/heart
Some of the following signs and symptoms for West Nile virus include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Body aches
- Sometimes rash
- In severe cases: High fever, stiff neck, and swelling of the brain
Signs and symptoms for both these diseases are very similar, and the most common time of year to become infected is the months of July through September. This is why officials urge strong preventative action to avoid any type of acquisition during this time of year.
“The best defense is to take precautions to avoid being bitten, like using effective bug spray and protective clothing, and to do regular tick checks after time in nature. Ticks should be removed as soon as possible,” says Health Commissioner Kaitlan Baston, M.D.
However, in the event one does acquire a tick or mosquito bite, the chances for disease transmission are low. Only about one in 500 mosquitoes carry West Nile virus, less than 1% of people infected will develop life-threatening symptoms, and 80% infected will show no signs or symptoms at all.
Additionally, people over the age of 50 and who may have compromised or weakened immune systems are at a higher risk of developing any severe symptoms. If individuals who fit in this category display any signs or symptoms and have a possibility of getting bitten by a mosquito, they should seek medical help as soon as possible.
For ticks in New Jersey, about 25-50% of them carry Lyme disease, which is a significant “uptick” in numbers over the past four years. Already from Jan 1 through May 15, there have been 1,762 tick-related illnesses. The good news is that transmission is still only 1-3% even in areas where the disease may be more common. The most common symptom is a rash accompanied by any of the other symptoms listed previously, with anywhere from 70-80% of infected individuals developing a rash.
Other preventative measures to avoid tick bites include:
- Antibiotic therapy/treatment
- Wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants
- Form fitting outdoor clothing
- Wear high boots for coverage in wooded areas
- Avoid tall grasses and overgrown areas
- Keep your lawn well-manicured
- Seek yard EPA-registered repellent treatments when appropriate
Other preventative measures to avoid mosquito bites include:
- Treating clothing and gear with insect repellant
- Wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants
- Emptying out or changing outdoor standing water weekly to avoid mosquito breeding
- Using air conditioning when appropriate rather than having windows open
- Vaccinate animals (like horses) for West Nile virus and Eastern equine encephalitis
- Mosquito proofing your yard and outdoor spaces
Though more people who are bitten by either ticks or mosquitoes remain unharmed, this is not the case for everyone, and it should not be assumed that it is most likely for no harm to be done. Especially since possible diseases to be transmitted go beyond just Lyme and West Nile virus.
Craig Smith, age 62, is a New Jersey resident who was diagnosed with alpha-gal syndrome (also known as the red meat allergy) upon receiving an unbeknownst tick bite in 2022.
“It just flipped everything– turned my life upside down completely,” exclaims Smith.
Alpha-gal syndrome is an extremely rare, and could be life-threatening, food allergy to beef, pork, lamb, and dairy which can be traced back to what is known as a lone star tick. The small, sometimes even just above microscopic creature would alter Smith’s lifestyle and diet for the rest of his life. And it all started with rash-like hives.
Only three months after working in a wooded area, for almost two months during January and February, did he put together the pieces of what was going on with him health-wise. Unexplainable itching warranting the need for steroids was only the tip of the iceberg for this case, especially since there is no treatment for this strain of disease beyond an avoidance diet. Smith, the once picky eater who was known for being a tough, old-school, and independent laborer, is having to face significant challenges and life adjustments at his older age. Medications, pain, diet, fear, and remembrance of a life that is just not the same, flood his everyday consciousness.
Thankfully for Smith, experts say alpha-gal symptoms can lessen or even disappear in around a year or two. Even amid great struggle caused by the tiniest of ticks, he remains positive and hopeful that his old life will return in some capacity.
The lone star tick is usually most active in New Jersey from April to September and is a member of the spider family making them a true parasite who latches on to their host with the intentions of not letting go until they have received their fill. It is described as a “tick that hunts” and the bite itself can be painless and go unnoticed, just like in Smith’s case.
Fortunately, there is no pathogen involved in alpha-gal syndrome and not everyone will develop harsh reactions if they are bitten. In fact, only a small subset of the population will even develop a condition.
New Jersey Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette pushes residents to recall the strategies of “monitoring, management, and education” as reminders of how to protect the public health of the state against vector-borne diseases.
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