We trust Mining Journal readers on Monday took note of a front page story detailing that experts predict the upcoming warm season is going to be bad as far as Lyme disease is concerned.

According to the state of Michigan, Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted by the blacklegged tick, also known as the deer tick. It is the most commonly reported vector-borne disease in the United States and it is spreading across the state of Michigan.

Typical clinical signs include flu-like symptoms however, if left untreated may spread to joints, the heart and/or the nervous system. The majority of cases can be treated successfully with antibiotics such as doxycycline.

Anyone living or recreating where Lyme disease ticks may be present could become infected. Lyme disease is endemic in the Northeast, Northwest, and much of the North Central United States, including Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Pennsylvania.

Why are things getting so bad now? Experts tell us the weather is central to answering that question. Although last winter had bitter cold snaps, the general trend in recent years has been in the direction of a warmer and wetter climate. And as far as deer ticks are concerned, warmer and wetter weather is great news because they thrive in warm, humid weather, according to experts.

In much of the nation, emergency room visits for tick bites are at their highest weekly rate for this time of year since 2017, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In Wisconsin, data from the state Department of Health Services for the week ending April 19 shows the state is seeing a similar trend, with a rate of 44 tick-bite visits for every 10,000 emergency room visits. In Michigan, cases have risen dramatically, with over 2,100 reported in 2025, that’s up significantly, with a 300% surge over the past three years.

And let’s not forget that deer ticks can also carry other nasty diseases including ehrlichiosis and babesiosis, which can destroy red blood cells faster than they’re replaced. Wood ticks or dog ticks can transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

To prevent tick bites, health professionals and entomologists advise using insect repellants that include DEET, picaridin or permethrin.

Contracting Lyme disease is, for many, a life-changing experience. And the longer it takes to properly diagnose it, the greater the impact on the victim. If left undiagnosed, some people never fully recover.

Our advice? When in wooded or grassy areas, be smart and that means be alert. Examine yourself and your pets for ticks often. Lyme disease and the other tickborne illnesses that are out there are nothing to trifle with.