Cases of a tick-borne disease called mumps increased significantly from 2011 to 2019 in a group of northeastern states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mentionted Friday.
The CDC said the largest increases in cases were found in Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire and Connecticut. The disease is also endemic in six other states, including the upper Midwest: Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin.
The study's authors said doctors and public health officials should be aware of mumps and inform people in at-risk countries about ways to prevent the tick-borne disease. The study bills itself as the first comprehensive assessment of the state's trends in many years.
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Find out what you need to know about mumps, symptoms, treatment and how to protect yourself.
What is babezosis?
Babesiosis is a tick-borne disease with cases reported primarily in the Northeast and upper Midwest. Most cases are caused by Babesia microti, which is transmitted by the bites of black-legged ticks, also known as deer ticks. Deer ticks also transmit Lyme disease as well as two other lesser known bacterial diseases, anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis.
Outbreaks can also occur through blood transfusions, organ transplants, or childbirth when a mother is infected.
The Food and Drug Administration has recommended screening of blood donations in Washington, DC and the following states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin.
Why are cases of mumps increasing?
Although the study showed the number of cases doubled in the states studied, experts say the increase can be partly explained by better testing for tick-borne diseases, which increased 25% from 2011 to 2019 .
More than 16,000 cases of mumps were identified in 10 states included in the CDC study. These states accounted for over 98% of all mumps cases.
“There's been a kind of revolution in diagnostic testing that's made it easier” to screen for mumps and other tick-borne diseases, said Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease expert and senior fellow at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.
However, the CDC study cautioned that not all cases have been recorded. For example, mumps is not a reportable disease in Pennsylvania, even though cases have been found there. Others may not get tested because they have no symptoms. Cases are reported in states where the patient lives, but that may not be the state where the infection occurred.
What are the symptoms of mumps?
Infected people may develop fever, chills, headache, or muscle and joint pain. Others with more severe cases may develop kidney failure, difficulty breathing, or thrombocytopenia, which causes a low number of platelets in the blood. Some people have no symptoms. In others with weakened immune systems, infections can be fatal.
How is babesiosis treated?
Babesiosis can be treated using antibiotics such as azithromycin and atovaquone.
People with weakened immune systems or those without a spleen may be at risk for more severe cases and even death, Adalja said.
How to protect yourself from ticks and mumps
If you live in a state or area where ticks are widespread, you should regularly check your body for ticks after going outside. You should wear long sleeves and pants and apply tick repellent before going outdoors. Also, avoid areas such as long grass, bushes, small trees or other brush.
How to pronounce babesiosis
Babezosis is intense ba-bee-zee-oh-sesaccording to Merriam-Webster.
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