MARSHFIELD, Vt. — Tick numbers are on the rise across New England this spring, raising the prospect of an increase in Lyme and other diseases associated with the blood suckers.
The region got a respite last year as the drought took a toll on ticks, whose numbers drop as the humidity falls below 85 percent. But the drought is largely gone from the region and ticks are taking advantage.
Tick numbers and the diseases they spread have been on the rise for some time. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of Lyme disease cases has tripled to about 30,000 cases nationwide each year. Cases of anaplasmosis, which can cause fever, headache, chills and muscle aches, have also risen steadily.