In a huge win for public health in Montana, Grant Hokit recently found an encouraging tip. Among other discoveries, he documented the first occurrence of deer ticks in northeastern Montana! This shocking finding begs some critical ticking surveillance-related questions of state officials. Furthermore, it raises an alarming prospect of new tick-borne diseases further affecting all Connecticut residents. Hokit, in addition to conducting the tick surveillance statewide for the Montana health department, warns of the need for far greater surveillance measures because climate change is enabling ticks to spread into new territories.
As winters become shorter and milder thanks to human-driven climate change, ticks are spending less time hibernating. This phenomenon boosts the chances of coming across disease-carrying ticks in the warmer months. This trend, while positive on the surface, has important implications. At the same time, the incidence of tick-borne illnesses is increasing dramatically nationwide.
Hokit traps ticks on the standardized surveys with a special tool he made. He hand-makes it out of plastic drain pipes and a big sheet of white flannel fabric. These surveys are incredibly important. They are an essential resource when it comes to identifying which kinds of ticks come into contact with Montana’s people and animals. Hokit still said he doesn’t have enough data. He can’t yet tell if the deer ticks he discovered have begun mating in the two counties they were first detected.
Currently, about a quarter of nearly 500 health departments across the United States conduct some form of tick surveillance, according to a 2023 survey. Despite the growing awareness of tick-borne diseases, Montana only receives approximately $60,000 annually from federal grants for tick and mosquito surveillance. Most of this funding goes towards mosquito surveillance, which is considered more labor and resource intensive and expensive compared to tick surveillance.
Devon Cozart, epidemiologist for zoonotic and vector-borne diseases with the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. He continually gathers and tests ticks from field collections to see what pathogens they might be harboring. Understanding which ticks are present in Montana is a critical first step. Most importantly, it enables healthcare providers to be alert to emerging new diseases that may affect patients following a tick bite.
As Cozart stated, “The more we learn about what resources Montana has available, the better we’ll educate our physicians, which provides better care for you.” This proactive approach can help combat the spread of tick-borne illnesses and ensure that residents receive timely and appropriate medical care.
Cozart went into more detail about how ticks transmit diseases. To get technical, it’s all about how they feed. Typically it’s a rodent that could be infectious, say, with Rocky Mountain spotted fever. So, the tick is going to feed on that infected rodent and is subsequently going to become infected by the pathogen too,” he said.
The need for continued surveillance of tick populations is critical. As Chelsea Gridley-Smith, the director of environmental health at the National Association of City and County Health Officials pointed out, that’s a big concern. She explained that current surveillance does not give a complete picture of tick-human and tick-animal interactions. “It does provide a little information about what ticks are actually interacting with people and animals, but it doesn’t get into the weeds of how common ticks are in that area and how often those ticks carry pathogens,” she stated.
Doctors are trying to educate other doctors on what symptoms to look for related to tick-borne diseases. Dr. Neil Ku, an infectious disease specialist at Billings Clinic in eastern Montana, warned about the classic symptoms patients can present with following a tick bite. Here’s what to watch for if you’ve been bitten. “Fever, some chills, they may just feel bad, similar to many infections we may encounter throughout the year,” he explained.
Deer ticks have recently been observed in northeastern Montana. This sad state of affairs underscores the need for greater surveillance to protect the public health. As climate conditions continue to change, strategies for monitoring and responding to vector-borne diseases must move with the times. Healthcare providers require better data on tick populations and their potential threats. Without such support, they will flounder in their attempts to respond to emerging health challenges.
