Lone Star Ticks Found In Rhode Island

RHODE ISLAND — The lone star tick, an aggressive pest that carries several human diseases, is rapidly expanding across the Northeast, including in Rhode Island, according to scientists at Center for Vector Biology and Zoonotic Diseases and Northeast Regional Center for Excellence in Vector-borne Diseases. The tick's range previously reached no further north than southern New Jersey, but there are now established populations in Connecticut, Long Island, and Cape Cod. They have also been reported in Rhode Island.

In an article in the New England Journal of Medicine, the researchers found that in addition to expanding the tick's range, climate change may also lengthen the pest's active season. Lone star ticks do not spread Lyme disease, but they carry a number of other human diseases. Among them is alpha-gal syndrome, a type of red meat allergy and STARI, which is similar to Lyme disease.

"More than 90% of the nearly 60,000 cases of nationally notifiable vectorborne diseases reported in 2017 were linked to ticks. As the geographic ranges of multiple tick species continue to expand, invasive tick species are being discovered, new tickborne pathogens are emerging, and coinfections in ticks are surging," the authors wrote. "Local abundance of lone star ticks and the likelihood of getting multiple bites can be highly irritating, even in the absence of disease transmission."

Having both lone star ticks and pre-existing populations of deer ticks "complicates management strategies," they note.

Joseph Wendelken, a spokesperson for the Rhode Island Department of Health, said that Rhode Islanders should take precautions against all kinds of ticks when outdoors, not just lone star ticks.

To help avoid encountering ticks, avoid coming into contact with high grasses or piles of leaves, Wendelken said, and walk in the center of trails. Wear long pants and sleeves, when possible, use insect repellents with 20 to 30 percent DEET on exposed skin and treat clothing with products that contain 0.5 percent permethrin.

Once indoors, check for ticks as soon as possible, ideally within two hours to find ticks that are crawling on the body. Using a hand-held or full-length mirror, conduct a full-body tick check. Parents should check children thoroughly for ticks, particularly in areas such as under the arms, inside the belly button, behind the knees and in the hair. Check gear and pets, as well, as ticks can hide there and attach later. Tumble dry clothing for 10 minutes on high heat to kill any ticks hidden there.

If you find a tick attached to your body, use forceps or tweezers to grasp it as close to the skin as possible, Wendelken said. Pull upward using firm, steady pressure. If no tweezers are available, use fingers protected with a tissue or rubber gloves, never using bare hands. When removing the tick, do not squeeze or crush the tick's body, as it may contain infectious fluids. Call a doctor if you are concerned that the tick was not completely removed.

In their traditional range, adult lone star ticks are most active from mid-March through late June, nymps, mid-May through late July, and larvae, July through September, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Patch Reporter Chris Huffaker contributed to this report.