(WHDH) — The population of a tick species that can make people allergic to meat with a single bite is expanding in the Northeast, according to medical researchers.
Blacklegged and lone star ticks may be recolonizing in the Northeast in areas where they thrived historically before rampant deforestation, the New England Journal of Medicine reported.
Researchers say a warming climate has contributed to a recent uptick in the number of ticks and associated diseases in the United States and Canada.
“Persistently warming temperatures may not only lead to the continued geographic range expansion of some ticks but may also extend their active season, thereby altering host availability and abundance,” the report said.
The resurgence of lone star ticks is linked to increased populations of deer, eastern coyotes, and wild turkeys, according to researchers.
“As the geographic ranges of multiple tick species continue to expand, invasive tick species are being discovered, new tick-borne pathogens are emerging, and coinfections in ticks are surging,” the report said.
Lone star ticks are a major concern because their bite can cause southern tick-associated rash illness and red meat allergies.
They have also been linked to several human diseases and medical conditions including tularemia, ehrlichiosis, Heartland virus, and Bourbon virus.
Ehrlichiosis infections caused by lone star ticks have been identified in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.
As of right now, most reports of lone star ticks in the Northeast come from submissions by the public.
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