Two troubling diseases from ticks are spreading in upstate New York, raising concerns among medical professionals.
Details: A scientist recently told Syracuse.com that two tick-borne diseases are infecting people in upstate New York.
- The first is called anaplasmosis, or anaplasma, and it is a bacterial disease.
- The other is called babesia, which is “caused by a parasite similar to malaria,” per Syracuse.com.
What they said: “Of all the tick-borne illnesses, babesia and anaplasma are really the two that are scary,” Dr. Kris Paolino, who works at Upstate Medical University, told Syracuse.com. “They can get really severe and they can kill people if not picked up on early enough.”
Worth noting: Both diseases bring about fevers. However, “they bring no tell-tale bull’s-eye rash,” which could make both diseases harder to spot, according to Syracuse.com.
Elsewhere: A “rare but dangerous” deer tick virus has been hitting people in Pennsylvania, according to WCCS.
The bigger picture: Ticks are well-known for spreading diseases to people. With the summer season on the doorstep, there’s a chance that ticks will be more common in wooded areas around the nation, increasing the risk for diseases.
- Most diseases from ticks have bacteria, viruses and parasites, according to Yale Medicine.
- Most treatments include antibiotics or other medications tailored to the specific virus.