Warm weather often encourages people to get outside. But experts warn to watch out for ticks and other insects that could cause serious medical issues.
Virginia is one of the top states for tick-borne illnesses, which include Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and alpha-gal syndrome. The latter triggers a red meat allergy that can cause negative bodily reactions hours after meat is consumed, including anaphylaxis.
Cases of the disease have surged across the commonwealth in recent years, along with cases of Lyme disease.
Dr. Joydip Roy, Mid-Atlantic market chief medical officer for UnitedHealthcare, warned that ticks are an effective vessel for many types of diseases.
"Ticks are what’s termed a vector, and they can carry various diseases due to bacteria, viruses, or protozoa, and they can transmit these to humans and cause disease," Roy said.
Even during the commonwealth’s mild winters, ticks are year-round pests that can cause severe medical issues.
Jenny Hall, a Radford University associate professor of public health and healthcare leadership and founder of Ticks in Virginia, offered a slew of prevention strategies to combat ticks while enjoying the outdoors.
Hall said using repellent on clothes and gear before going out can help protect against ticks, along with wearing long-sleeved clothing that covers legs and arms. Thin, light-colored clothing can also help a person identify ticks that have potentially latched onto them.
Hall also encouraged tick checks throughout a person’s time outdoors.
"So you often hear to do tick checks after you’ve been outside, and I like to encourage people to do them during. So while you’re outdoors and in areas where ticks may be, you can get them off before they bite and attach to you," Hall said.
While the CDC estimates that 31 million people a year are bitten by ticks, more than two-thirds of adults report rarely or never checking for the insects after being outdoors.
[EDITOR: Move or label this as a disclosure note, e.g., ‘Disclosure: UnitedHealthcare contributes to our fund for reporting on healthcare.’]
Communities like Charlotte and Bedford counties had some of the highest rates and sheer numbers of alpha-gal syndrome cases, respectively. (Adobe Stock)
