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Tick bite ER visits at highest rate in nearly a decade

Axios · · 352 words · By Carly Mallenbaum
Public Health Warning Climate Change Impact

The article reports on an increase in emergency room visits for tick bites based on preliminary CDC data and local observations in Connecticut. It discusses the potential role of climate change in tick proliferation and provides CDC-recommended prevention and treatment steps.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://axios.com/2026/05/12/tick-bite-rate-lyme-disease-what-to-do

analyticsAnalysis

10%
Propaganda Score
confidence: 95%
Low risk. This article shows minimal use of propaganda techniques.

psychologyDetected Techniques

warning
Loaded Language 70% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

fact_checkFact-Check Results

10 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

check_circle Corroborated 6
cancel Disputed 2
info Single Source 1
help Insufficient Evidence 1
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“Tick bites are sending a record rate of people to the ER for this time of year, according to new CDC data.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent news sources (ABC News, and others via web search) report that the CDC has seen a spike or record-breaking levels of ER visits for tick bites in 2025/2026.
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web search NEUTRAL — New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that emergency room visits caused by tick bites have spiked in 2025.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2025/07/11/tick-b…
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web search NEUTRAL — Recent data from the CDC's Tick Bite Tracker showed visits to emergency rooms for tick bites are "higher than normal in many parts of the country right now." By Alex Dvorak • Published April 24, 2026 …
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/emergency-room-visits-…
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web search NEUTRAL — CDC reports record-breaking emergency room visits for tick bites, with children and elderly most affected.Emergency rooms across the country are seeing a spike in tick bite cases, according to new dat…
https://abcnews.com/Health/er-visits-tick-bites-record-level…
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“An estimated 31 million Americans are bitten by a tick each year, and roughly 476,000 are treated for Lyme disease alone, per the CDC.”
CORROBORATED
The specific figures (31 million bites and 476,000 Lyme disease treatments) are consistently reported across multiple independent web sources attributing the data to the CDC.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Borrelia is a genus of bacteria of the spirochete phylum. Several species cause Lyme disease, also called Lyme borreliosis, a zoonotic, vector-borne disease transmitted by ticks. Other species of Borr…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borrelia
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Doxycycline is a broad-spectrum antibiotic of the tetracycline class used in the treatment of infections caused by bacteria and certain parasites. It is used to treat bacterial pneumonia, acne, chlamy…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doxycycline
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Lyme disease, also known as Lyme borreliosis, is a tick-borne disease caused by species of Borrelia bacteria, transmitted by blood-feeding ticks in the genus Ixodes. It is the most common disease spre…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyme_disease
+ 3 more evidence sources
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“April saw 104 ER visits for tick bites per 100,000 total ER visits — up from 68 in April 2025, according to preliminary data from the CDC's Tick Bite Tracker.”
DISPUTED
While the general trend of rising visits is corroborated, the specific numbers are contradictory. One source mentions 71 per 100,000 in April 2026, while the claim cites 104. Additionally, the claim references 'April 2025' as a comparison point for a current event, but the evidence suggests the spike is occurring in 2026.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Bubonic plague is one of three types of plague caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. One to seven days after exposure to the bacteria, flu-like symptoms develop. These symptoms include fever, heada…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubonic_plague
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Gonorrhea or gonorrhoea, colloquially known as the clap, is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Infection may involve the genitals, mouth, or rectum. …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonorrhea
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Lyme disease, also known as Lyme borreliosis, is a tick-borne disease caused by species of Borrelia bacteria, transmitted by blood-feeding ticks in the genus Ixodes. It is the most common disease spre…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyme_disease
+ 3 more evidence sources
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“In all regions except for the south-central region of the U.S. — where blacklegged ticks are less common — weekly rates of ER visits for tick bites are the highest for this time of year since 2017, the CDC reports.”
CORROBORATED
Three independent sources explicitly confirm the CDC's report that weekly ER visit rates are the highest since 2017 in all regions except the South Central U.S.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2009 swine flu pandemic, caused by the H1N1/swine flu/influenza virus and declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) from June 2009 to August 2010, was the third recent flu pandemic involving…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_pandemic
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The eighth season of the American fictional drama television series ER first aired on NBC on September 27, 2001, and concluded on May 16, 2002. The eighth season consists of 22 episodes.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ER_season_8
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Oxymorphone (sold under the brand names Numorphan and Opana among others) is a highly potent opioid analgesic indicated for treatment of severe pain. Pain relief after injection begins after about 5–1…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxymorphone
+ 3 more evidence sources
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“His lab received 1,131 human-biting tick submissions in April this year — up from 821 in 2025, he tells Axios.”
DISPUTED
The claim cites specific numbers (1,131 vs 821) for April. However, evidence from the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station reports different figures: one source mentions 'over 150' and another mentions 'more than 2,500', directly contradicting the specific counts provided in the claim.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Babesiosis or piroplasmosis is a malaria-like parasitic disease caused by infection with a eukaryotic parasite in the order Piroplasmida, typically a Babesia or Theileria, in the phylum Apicomplexa. …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babesiosis
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Lyme disease, also known as Lyme borreliosis, is a tick-borne disease caused by species of Borrelia bacteria, transmitted by blood-feeding ticks in the genus Ixodes. It is the most common disease spre…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyme_disease
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Tick-borne diseases, which afflict humans and other animals, are caused by infectious agents transmitted by tick bites. They are caused by infection with a variety of pathogens, including rickettsia a…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tick-borne_disease
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
“Climate change is helping ticks multiply and spread into new areas, with warmer, more humid springs and summers fueling bigger populations, Molaei says.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided web search results for this claim returned irrelevant results about commercial hand warmers and did not provide scientific or expert testimony from 'Molaei' regarding climate change and ticks.
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web search NEUTRAL — Keep your hands, drinks, and more at the perfect temperature with our diverse range of high-quality warmers. Discover the features you need for any situation.
https://www.amazon.com/warmer/s?k=warmer
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web search NEUTRAL — Shop for Warmers at Walmart.com. Save money. Live better.
https://www.walmart.com/c/kp/warmers
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web search NEUTRAL — HotHands Hand Warmers allow you to stay warm and conquer any chill, the ultimate solution for cold hands! Perfect for outdoor enthusiasts and winter warriors, these compact and portable hand warmers p…
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Hand-Warmer-10-Pair-Value-Pack-H…
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“Molaei says certain ticks adapt to shelter under snow, hide in leaf litter and even produce antifreeze-like substances to survive freezing temperatures.”
CORROBORATED
Web search results confirm that ticks use behavioral adaptations (insulating under snow/leaf litter) and biological adaptations (antifreeze proteins) to survive freezing temperatures.
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web search NEUTRAL — How Ticks Survive Cold Temperatures. Ticks employ several biological and behavioral adaptations to survive freezing or near-freezing conditions.
https://biologyinsights.com/how-cold-does-it-have-to-be-for-…
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web search NEUTRAL — The range of animals that produce antifreeze is astonishing. From the microscopic bacteria to relatively large mammals like the Arctic ground squirrel, the ability to withstand freezing temperatures h…
https://enviroliteracy.org/animals/what-animals-produce-anti…
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web search NEUTRAL — As the cold spell that froze much of the United States thaws, don’t count on it to limit the populations of pests that you don’t like.Other outdoor critters can produce antifreeze proteins. Ticks also…
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/11/science/ticks-bedbugs-win…
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“To prevent tick bites, the CDC recommends: Wearing EPA-registered insect repellent and permethrin-treated clothing outdoors.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm that the CDC recommends EPA-registered repellents and permethrin-treated clothing.
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web search NEUTRAL — The CDC urges people to use EPA-registered insect repellent, treat clothing with permethrin and check themselves and their children for ticks. On its website, the agency says anyone who finds an attac…
https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2026/04/30/cdc-warns-spike-…
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web search NEUTRAL — According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the most common symptoms of tick-related illnesses include the following: Fever/chills.To prevent tick bites on people, the CDC recom…
https://www.alabamapublichealth.gov/blog/2024/06/sho-june.ht…
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web search NEUTRAL — “You can wear EPA-registered insect repellent and permethrin-treated clothing, do tick checks and remove attached ticks as quickly as possible,” she said.
https://news.northeastern.edu/2026/04/30/tick-season-2026/
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“Doing a tick check after being outside — ticks like leaf litter, tall grass, and wooded areas.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was provided or found in the search results for this specific claim.
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“Removing attached ticks ideally within 24 hours, and watching for a rash or fever in the days or weeks after a bite.”
CORROBORATED
Web search results confirm the CDC's recommendation to remove attached ticks as soon as possible and monitor for symptoms like fever/rash.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the national public health agency of the United States. It is a United States federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services (…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centers_for_Disease_Control_an…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The CDC 1604 is a 48-bit computer designed and manufactured by Seymour Cray and his team at the Control Data Corporation (CDC). The 1604 is known as one of the first commercially successful transisto…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CDC_1604
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The CDC 3000 series ("thirty-six hundred" or "thirty-one hundred") are a family of mainframe computers from Control Data Corporation (CDC). The first member, the CDC 3600, was a 48-bit system introduc…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CDC_3000_series
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.