WOODBURY — Connecticut’s first case of Rickettsia parkeri rickettsiosis, the tick-borne disease transmitted by the Gulf Coast tick, was documented at the end of September. According to the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, the disease is similar to Rocky Mountain spotted fever with milder symptoms.
Being the state where Lyme disease was discovered, Connecticut is no stranger to tick-borne illnesses. However, the idea of a “Lyme season” seems to be ending due to rising global temperatures and ecological changes.
The case documented in September was also the first report of the disease in the Northeast. Nonnewaug veterinary science teacher Jesse Hungerford understands how this can be concerning.
“With the weather changes and the seasonal changes, if it’s warmer out throughout the year, ticks are going to be out longer throughout the year, so there’s going to be a great number of cases,” she said.
Nonnewaug senior Samantha Kostka, who was diagnosed with Lyme disease last June, said the abundance of ticks in our state is more extreme compared to other states, and “not known outside of the New England area since we have such a high tick count.”
Kostka said her experience with Lyme disease was draining.
“I actually went to urgent care,” she said, “and they thought I maybe had COVID. Then they were like, “Oh, maybe Lyme too,” so they gave me medicine for Lyme, and I got the results back later saying that I had Lyme. I felt super tired and I had a huge headache, and then days following I had neck pain, where I couldn’t even move my neck, and back pain, too.”
Kostka is a member of the FFA, and Hungerford understands that contracting tick-borne illnesses can be especially stressful for students who are frequently working outside.
“Prevention is key,” Hungerford said. “There’s a ton of deterrents, sprays, and other things you can use. Proper outdoor clothing can prevent ticks from getting into places where they can affect you.”
Even with all these extra steps, some people, like Kostka, won’t experience getting the typical rash or bull’s-eye symptom commonly associated with Lyme. Often people never find the tick on them.
“It took a big toll on me. It took me a couple days to get better after I took the medication,” Kostka explained.
Hungerford said that in addition to taking proper precautions and using deterrents, checking yourself for ticks frequently after working outdoors is essential.
“Every day when you come in, check your hair really well. Those hard to reach places are where they like to go, so a lot of the time people forget to check there,” she said.
On top of climate changes bringing new ticks and lengthening the timeline of those we already have, Hungerford says the issue with Lyme, and other common tick-borne illnesses, is “mainly resistance to antibiotics.”
“Markets need to switch up antibiotics they are using so people don’t develop further resistance [to treatment],” said Hungerford.
If you are experiencing possible symptoms of fatigue or joint pain, testing for Lyme and catching it early can shield you from further health issues, as antibiotic resistance can complicate treatments and is becoming an increasing concern within the agricultural community, affecting a broad range of infection and illnesses.
“If they’re prompt about it, that’s what’s going to make a difference,” Hungerford said.
