Potentially life-threatening tickborne disease showing up in Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS -- Another disease is threatening to take a bite out of fun this summer.
Minnesota recorded 63 cases of babesiosis in 2021. Ticks spread the rare infection that's becoming more common here.
It's another picture-perfect day at the Sculpture Garden in Minneapolis, but with the gorgeous weather come seasonal nuisances, like ticks.
"I am worried about ticks, I really am. It really does leave me kind of wondering what I'm going to be doing for the day recreationally," said Erica Norman from Minneapolis.
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Babesiosis is a disease caused by parasites that attacks red blood cells and is spread by deer ticks.
Symptoms are much like the flu, including fever, head and body aches. Symptoms may become severe, even life-threatening.
"It's not something we see as often as we see as the ones that you hear about more, but it tends to be a more serious disease, so it is one that we keep a close eye on," said Elizabeth Schiffman, Supervisor of the Vectorborne Disease Unit with the Minnesota Department of Health.
Cases are soaring out east. In Minnesota, between fifty to seventy get sick from it every year.
"There could be some change happening with the ecology or the host species that are just kind of creating that perfect storm to make disease really start to increase, so it's hard to say exactly why," said Schiffman.
According to Schiffman, elderly people and those with immune-suppressive conditions are the most vulnerable.
Bug repellant that's registered with the EPA is the best defense, Schiffman said.