If you enjoy exploring the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest, it’s easy to take it for granted that we have a lot fewer “biting bugs” compared to other parts of the country. But Washington State is home to several species of ticks that can spread infections such as lyme disease to humans.
Tick populations have been spreading to new areas of the U.S. since the early 2000s. This is the result of climate change, deforestation, increasing deer populations, and global trade and travel.
Some (but not all) ticks are infected with diseases that can be transmitted. However the growth in tick populations increases the risk of humans getting bitten and potentially infected. In fact, tick-related illnesses are on the rise.
While the Pacific Northwest generally has fewer “biting bugs,” ticks pose a significant and growing health risk. Here’s what you need to know.
Types of Ticks in Washington
Although less common in Washington State than in hotter, more humid areas of the nation, there are four species of ticks found in Washington:
- Western Dog tick – Eastern and SW Washington State
- Rocky Mountain Wood tick – Eastern WA
- Western Black-legged tick (deer tick) – Western WA
- Soft tick – Mountainous areas
In our state, the Western dog and Rocky Mountain wood ticks live mostly in Eastern Washington, but the Western black-legged tick, which can transmit Lyme disease, lives in Western Washington.
The first three of these tick species live in tall grass, dense shrubs, on a prairie/grassland or in forests and open woodland.
The fourth species, the soft tick, can be found in mountainous cabins where rodents have been. They look and behave more like bed bugs than regular ticks.
How do Ticks Bite?
Ticks are parasitic arachnids that feed on blood. They burrow their mouthparts under the skin of a person or an animal and stay there – often for days – until they have ingested as much blood as they can hold.
Ticks’ bodies expand as they feed, so a full tick will be much larger, and look different from a tick that has just climbed onto a host.
Diseases Caused by Ticks
There are a variety of different tick species, and not all of them carry disease. For the ones that do carry diseases, not every individual tick is infected.
But as populations of ticks (and people) increase, the chance of getting a tick bite, and possibly being infected, grows.
Here are some diseases that are spread by ticks in Washington State:
Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is spread by black-legged ticks and Western black-legged ticks (also known as deer ticks). Lyme is a bacterial infection that causes flu-like symptoms, often with a characteristic “bull’s eye” . Even if the initial infection doesn’t seem severe, Lyme disease requires antibiotic treatment and can lead to serious, long-term complications if not caught early.
Anaplasmosis
Anaplasmosis is transmitted by deer ticks and causes flu-like symptoms. While symptoms may be mild at first, if it’s not treated, anaplasmosis can become severe, leading to respiratory failure, bleeding problems, organ failure, and even death. A recent arrival to Washington state, anaplasmosis infection is more common in dogs than humans, and is treated with antibiotics.
Babesiosis
Babesiosis is extremely rare in Washington State. It is transmitted by black-legged ticks, which are mostly found in the Eastern U.S. Some infected people will not have any symptoms, while others may have mild, flu-like symptoms.
Individuals with weakened immune systems or other serious health conditions are most at risk from babesiosis and can experience serious, potentially fatal complications if not treated. In some people, babesiosis may clear up on its own. For others, it can be treated with antimicrobial medications.
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Rocky Mountain spotted fever is spread by dog ticks. Two species of dog tick are found in Eastern Washington, and both can carry spotted fever.
Rocky Mountain spotted fever begins with flu-like symptoms. A few days later, a severe rash develops. Early treatment with antibiotics can make a difference, because if left untreated, Rocky Mountain spotted fever can be life-threatening. Even delaying treatment until after the rash appears could result in permanent damage to limbs, hearing, and even mental function.
Tick-borne Relapsing Fever
The bacteria that causes tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF) is spread in Washington by the soft tick. Because these bed bug-like ticks do not remain attached to their victims, people are not always aware that they’ve been bitten.
Infected people may experience flu-like symptoms for up to a week before improving, only to see symptoms return 4-14 days later. TBRF is particularly dangerous to infants and can cause pregnancy loss. It is commonly treated with antibiotics.
Tick Paralysis
Tick paralysis is so exceedingly rare that in some years, there are no cases reported in Washington State at all. In those who are infected, some people will develop paralysis that starts in the legs and spreads to the torso. Tick paralysis is caused by a neurotoxin transmitted through a tick’s saliva.
Unlike other tick-borne diseases, which tend to develop slowly, tick paralysis occurs while the tick remains attached to the host and can lead to respiratory failure and death within a couple of days. When the tick is removed promptly, recovery is usually quick and complete.
Tularemia
Tularemia is an infection which usually spreads by tick bites or through handling infected rabbits. Less commonly, tularemia can spread through ingesting contaminated food or inhaling contaminated dust, but it does not spread from person to person.
Tularemia is spread by the dog tick, the wood tick, and the lone star tick. In addition to flu-like symptoms, an infected person may develop enlarged lymph glands, throat inflammation, or skin ulcers. Tularemia might lead to pneumonia if not treated with antibiotics.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Tick Diseases
With any of the above infections, early detection and treatment is the key to preventing health complications later. If you have (or suspect you have) been bitten by a tick, or are having flu-like symptoms, contact your primary care provider right away for an assessment.
Diagnosis follows a discussion of the patient’s medical history, lab testing, and a clinical evaluation. Treatment usually includes antibiotics.
How Common is Lyme Disease?
Ticks found in Washington can spread a variety of diseases, although local incidences of tick-borne disease is relatively rare. Only 18 cases of Lyme disease were confirmed in Snohomish County between 2000-2020. Across Washington State, the number of cases of Lyme disease averaged 25 per year for the same time period. Nationally, nearly half a million people are diagnosed with Lyme disease every year, according to the CDC.
If you spend time hiking in forests or other natural habitats in Washington State, or travel to other states or countries with higher tick populations, it’s essential to know the health risks and take prevention measures to avoid getting a tick bite.
How to Prevent Tick Bites
Preventing tick bites can be easier (and more pleasant) than treating them.
- Cover up – In weather that’s warm enough for tank tops, shorts, and flip flops, keeping your skin covered – even in thinner fabrics – is one of the best preventive measures you can take against ticks. Wearing long sleeves and pants, tucking your shirt in, and wearing closed shoes with socks will help keep ticks away from your skin.
- Treat your clothes – If you will be in potentially tick-infested areas, consider treating your clothes with permethrin, which will discourage ticks from crawling across clothing until they find a bit of exposed skin. If you choose to expose some areas of skin, use picaridin or DEET-based bug spray.
- Protect your pets – Give your pets tick prevention medication, too.
- Follow product instructions – Be sure to follow all product instructions carefully, since chemical tick treatments can be hazardous to people and pets if used incorrectly.
- Check yourself after coming inside – After spending time outdoors, especially in natural areas, brush your pets and use a lint roller on your clothes before entering your home. Showering right away can also remove unattached ticks.
It’s important to check yourself, your children, and your pets for ticks regularly throughout the summertime. Ticks are especially likely to attach to humans around the hairline and ears, in the underarm and behind knees, and around the waist and between the legs.
How to Remove a Tick
If you find a tick on your skin, don’t panic, but don’t delay in removing it – the longer a tick remains attached, the higher the risk of infection.
Roughly pulling on a tick can remove the body, leaving mouthparts embedded in the skin. According to the Washington State Department of Health, the best way to remove a tick is with fine-pointed tweezers. They do not recommend using hot matches, petroleum jelly, soap, or nail polish, as these do not encourage the tick to release its grasp. Follow a similar process with tweezers to remove ticks from your pets.
You can use the CDC’s interactive Tick Bite Bot for instructions on removing attached ticks, and help you to decide whether to seek health care after being bitten.
When you have removed the tick, put it in a crush-proof container. Follow instructions on the Department of Health form to report a tick encounter or to submit the tick for identification (if you choose to mail it in).
If you develop a fever or rash in the days or weeks after your bite, schedule an appointment with your doctor right away.
What to Do if You’ve Been Bitten by a Tick
If you’ve been bitten by a tick or spent time in places where ticks are commonly found, don’t ignore a fever or flu-like symptoms. These are common early symptoms of tick-borne diseases. Even if you’re unaware of any tick exposure, make an appointment right away with your primary care provider to get checked out.
The symptoms of some tick-borne illness can begin within three days of being bitten, while the bulls-eye rash caused by Lyme disease can take up to a month to appear.
Early detection and treatment will minimize the length and severity of a person’s infection, and can prevent serious health complications later.
If you’re concerned about recent tick exposure or Lyme disease, request an appointment with WWMG Family Medicine today.