Tick bites surge as Lyme disease concerns grow nationwide

Experts recommend wearing protective clothing, using insect repellent and checking for ticks after spending time outdoors.

(NBC)- Chelsea and Jameson Latko say battling ticks has become part of daily life.

“Tick season started a little bit earlier this year than last year,” Chelsea Latko said. “Pretty much the second the weather got nice, we let the dog out and she came back in with a tick.”

The Northport, New York couple says they are taking extra precautions to protect themselves and their dog.

They regularly spray their property with repellent, mow the lawn weekly and clear weeds around their home. Even with those efforts, both say they have already been bitten by ticks multiple times this year.

Health officials say they are not alone. New data shows emergency room visits for tick bites reached a record high last month, with northeastern states reporting the highest numbers.

According to the CDC, Lyme disease remains the most common illness linked to tick bites, with nearly half a million Americans diagnosed each year.

“The milder winters and earlier springs contribute to there being more ticks around and more animals harboring diseases like Lyme disease,” said Dr. Peter Griffin, an emergency medicine physician and medical director at J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital in West Virginia.

There is currently no vaccine available for Lyme disease.

Experts recommend wearing protective clothing, using insect repellent and checking for ticks after spending time outdoors.

For the Latkos, the concern is likely here to stay.

“I think ticks will be part of our lives for a long time, for as long as we’re still here,” Jameson Latko said.

The growing number of tick bites serves as another reminder that even small bites can carry serious health risks.