As the spring season approaches, and people are emerging from the warm shelter of their homes to  enjoy the great outdoors, Department of Defense public health officials are advising service  members and their families to beware of another creature that emerges during spring…the Tick!

“When the weather warms, ticks begin to surface and incidences of tick bites significantly increase,”  said Robyn Nadolny, who holds a doctorate in ecological sciences, and serves as chief of the vector borne disease branch at Defense Health Agency Public Health. 

Nadolny is one of several public health professionals who are warning individuals to be vigilant in  preventing tick-borne illness. Fortunately, tick bites are preventable—so there are a few things  individuals can do to protect themselves from tick-borne illnesses this spring. 

The MilTICK program—a special service available for members of the DOD community including  service members, their families, retirees, and DOD civilians. 

“Through this program, DOD beneficiaries can mail in a tick that was removed from a person for  identification, analysis, and testing to ensure the tick was not infected with any disease-causing  agents,”

said Nadolny.

“We are providing a tool in the public health toolbox to get DOD  beneficiaries accurately diagnosed and treated.” 

When the ticks arrive at the vector-borne disease laboratory at DHA-PH, they are tested for many  pathogens that cause human illnesses including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and  related spotted fevers, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and Powassan virus, said Nadolny. 

One of the benefits of MilTICK is that that results also serve as surveillance data, allowing DHA PH scientists to keep tabs on how tick-borne disease risks are changing.

One tick-borne illness has begun to increase in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. 

Human babesiosis, a potentially fatal illness, is often detected in the Northeastern and upper  Midwestern United States. Babesiosis is caused by infection with Babesia microti, a tick-borne  protozoan parasite.

The illness is often diagnosed in conjunction with Lyme disease because the  blacklegged ticks that carry both pathogens are frequently co-infected with both the bacteria that  causes Lyme and the parasite that causes babesiosis. 

Representatives from DHA-PH are working with collaborators from state and academic agencies  throughout Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia to compile human case data and tick  surveillance data on the rise of babesiosis in the mid-Atlantic. 

Although the start of tick season can be alarming, public health professionals say there are many  ways to be outside and still be tick safe.

“Be sure to wear long pants; tucking them into your socks is  one tried-and-true technique to prevent tick bites,” said Nadolny. “Treating clothes, socks and boots  with permethrin is another way to kill ticks that make their way onto your clothes.” 

*For more information on MilTICK visit: MilTICK – DHA-Public Health.