They may seem like a tiny nuisance – but they carry a big health risk.
Tick season is here and another threat is on the rise in New England.
“My whole body was just like burning. It was aching. Like throbbing and there was nothing I could do to get it to stop,” Michaela Sheranko Walz said.
She was bitten by a tick on Cape Cod back in 2017. She says it nearly destroyed her life.
“The pain never went away,” Michaela said.
The small tick bite infected her with a parasite called babesia.
“It caused like seizure stroke like symptoms… And the first episode lasted like 7 hours,” Michaela said.
“Lyme disease gets a lot of press but Babesia can kill you,” Dr. Timothy Lepore, a reknowned expert in tick-borne illnesses, said.
He’s with Nantucket Cottage Hospital, a member of Mass General Brigham, and says the parasite breaks down red blood cells.
“People that are immuno-compromised. It could be very much like being hit by a truck. You have 104° fevers. You have bed shaking chills,” Dr. Lepore said.
For many, the infection causes flu like symptons. But for some it’s much more serious. Brandi Dean of Wellesley knows that all too well.
“Shortness of breath fatigue chronic fatigue, muscle weakness. I had night sweats and really horrible migraines.
I was mostly bed bound,” Brandi Dean said.
According to the CDC, cases are on the rise in Massachusetts and throughout New England. Experts say the uptick may be fueled by warmer temperatures and a growing deer population.
“Climate change is probably going to play a role in making these diseases more prominent,” Dr. Lepore said.
Doctor Lepore says the disease can be treated with anti-malarial drugs, but prevention is key. That means covering your skin when in the woods or shaded areas, where ticks thrive.
“Lack of education and a lack of appreciation that these diseases can occur is very problematic.
Tuck your pants in your socks. You may look nerdy but you won’t get sick,” Dr. Lepore said.
Brandi says it took more than a year to fully heal.
“It’s a serious illness that people should be aware of,” Brandi said.
The road to recovery for Michaela continues.
“Everyday I still deal with the pain and like the migraines, anxiety and stuff like that so I still have the effects from it but i have just learned to be able to live with it,” Michaela said.
Ticks cling to human skin.
So it’s important to check your body after being outdoors.
Doctors say get tested for all tick-borne diseases if you’ve been bitten.
For more information on babesia and babesiosis: https://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/babesiosis/index.html
Michaela Sharenko Walz started a community for people with tick-borne illnesses and Lyme disease: https://www.iltwyl.org/
Brandi Dean has devoted her life to raising awareness of tick-borne illnesses and Lyme disease:https://www.rideoutlyme.org/team-brandi-dean
Dr. Timothy Lepore is an expert on tick borne diseases: https://nantuckethospital.org/find-a-doctor/timothy-j-lepore-md-facs/
If you want to have ticks tested for babesia, Lyme and other illnesses, you could send them here: https://www.tickreport.com/
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has several resources available online – https://www.mass.gov/service-details/tick-borne-educational-materials
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