The number of ticks are increasing — and so are the diseases they carry
Roger McKinney Columbia Daily Tribune
With warmer weather and more activities outdoors and in nature, there's an ever-present danger around that experts say is becoming more plentiful.
Ticks can cause at least 15 illnesses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There were 50,865 documented cases of tick-borne diseases in the United States in 2019, an increase from 22,527 cases in 2004.
Ticks are parasites — large mites that drink the blood of animals and humans.
Ram Raghavan, professor in the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine and School of Health Professions, spent parts of prime tick season from 2014-2017 with former graduate student Ali Hroobi near Pittsburg, Kansas, collecting and identifying 15,946 ticks. His findings have been published in a new study...