Don’t let a tick make you sick: How to stay safe this summer
- The lone star tick, Florida’s most common human-biting tick, can transmit a range of disease-causing pathogens and is linked to alpha-gal syndrome, a potentially life-changing allergy to red meat and some dairy products.
- UF researchers say tick activity peaks during Florida’s hottest months, making prevention critical. Using repellents, wearing protective clothing and performing thorough tick checks can significantly reduce exposure to ticks and the pathogens they carry.
- While the overall risk of tickborne illness remains lower in Florida than in many other states, experts warn that awareness of the lone star tick and emerging conditions such as alpha-gal syndrome is increasingly important as tick populations and associated health concerns continue to grow.
Summer has arrived in Florida — it’s time for backyard barbecues and strolls in state parks.
But a tiny threat might be lurking in the grass, and its bite can cause big problems.
This tick season is shaping up to be the worst in almost a decade, which means increased risk of tickborne illnesses like Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and alpha-gal syndrome.
“Ticks are notorious vectors of disease,” said Michael von Fricken, Ph.D., M.P.H., associate professor in the University of Florida College of Public Health and Health Professions’ Department of Environmental and Global Health and director of UF’s One Health Center of Excellence. In the United States, ticks are responsible for about 90% of illnesses caused by bloodsucking bugs — far more than those pesky mosquitoes.
So should Floridians be worried?
Yes and no, said von Fricken, who has been studying and surveilling tickborne pathogens at home and abroad since 2015.
Ticks to watch out for
Ticks are active year-round in Florida’s warm subtropical climate, particularly in wooded areas where wildlife are present. Activity peaks between April and August, when adults are searching for hosts. They tend to pick up pathogens from small host animals they feed on during their early life stages, then transmit those pathogens to humans and other animals when the mature ticks go looking for a bigger blood meal.
About 30 tick species call the Sunshine State home, although only a handful pose a threat to humans.
Lone star ticks are the most common human-biting species in Florida, easily recognized by the single dot on females’ backs. They’re the culprit for alpha-gal syndrome, a serious allergic reaction to red meat and dairy triggered when a tick transfers a specific sugar molecule into a human’s bloodstream.
