New Tick-Borne Disease Discovered

Reuters has reported that U.S. scientists discovered a new disease spread by deer ticks. The unnamed illness has viral-like similarities to Lyme disease, another tick-borne disease common across the county.

In the United States, blacklegged deer ticks are most commonly found in the Northeastern region, from Virginia to Maine, in the north central states, mostly Wisconsin and Minnesota, and on the west coast, primarily in northern California, according to the Yale School of Public Health.

Experts at the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) encourage people to protect themselves from ticks by wearing long pants, long-sleeved shirts and closed-toe shoes when outdoors, especially in wooded areas or tall grasses. In addition, wear light-colored clothes and a bug spray containing at least 20 percent DEET.