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Summary
• Tick bite-related emergency department visits have increased recently in Pennsylvania.
• Health care providers should have a heightened clinical suspicion for tickborne diseases in
persons with clinically compatible symptoms.
• Rare tickborne diseases, including B. miyamotoi and Powassan virus, continue to be found
in ticks in multiple Pennsylvania counties and human cases have been reported.
• Alpha gal allergy syndrome has been reported in Pennsylvania residents; health care
providers should
The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) has identified recent sustained increases in tick bite related emergency department visits in nearly all regions of the state. This trend was expected, as tick exposures in Pennsylvania generally increase during spring and summer months, and serves as an important reminder that tickborne diseases occur seasonally in Pennsylvania. In addition, an increase in persons seeking care for Lyme disease (LD) is anticipated in the coming weeks to months as the peak period for LD is late May through early August. From April through August, health care providers should have a heightened clinical suspicion for tickborne diseases, although tickborne diseases can occur any time of the year. Because of changes to the national case definition, LD reporting in Pennsylvania is now entirely based on laboratory reports DOH receives directly from lab-based reporting and no longer includes clinical reports. Prior to January 1, 2022, LD cases were classified based on laboratory and clinical information obtained from health care providers. Since that date, clinical information is no longer required, and LD cases are reported based only on laboratory criteria.
| Contributor | PA DOH |
|---|---|
| Format | Article |
| Length | 6 pages |
| Publication Date | 04/30/2024 |
| Source | PA DOH |
