The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) reports summer 2025 is record-breaking for tick-related ER visits, with July at the highest numbers since 2017.
There are already 132 tick-related cases for every 100,000 ER visits in the Midwest for July, up from 82 in 2023.
Entomologists at the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) offered prevention strategies:
- Wear long, light-colored pants tucked into socks or boots, and long-sleeved shirts. This keeps ticks from reaching the skin and makes them easier to see
- Create a “tick moat” by using gravel or wood chips along property edges to discourage tick migration from wooded areas
- Remove leaf litter, which serves as prime tick hiding spots
- Store firewood on elevated surfaces to prevent rodents (common tick carriers) from seeking shelter
Ticks transmit serious diseases, including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Heartland virus, and Bourbon virus. They’re also responsible for alpha-gal syndrome, a potentially life-threatening food allergy to red meat.
National Pest Management Association
For more information on ticks, click here.