Tick bites rising in 2026: Symptoms, diseases to watch in Tennessee

Tennessee has entered peak tick season and according to experts, this year could be one of the worst on record.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Tick Bite Data Tracker, which uses real‑time emergency room surveillance, shows weekly tick‑bite ER visits are higher than historic averages in every U.S. region except the South Central states, with the Northeast recording the highest levels so far in 2026.

During the fourth week of April, about 114 out of every 100,000 emergency department visits nationwide were for tick bites, the highest rate for this point in the year since at least 2017, the CDC said.

Emergency room visits for tick bites in the Southeast, including Tennessee, have risen in the month of April over the past five years, per CDC data. The rate increased from 29 visits per 100,000 people in 2021 to 50 this year, an overall jump of about 72%.

Here’s everything to know about the diseases ticks carry and what symptoms to look out for.

What diseases do ticks carry?

According to the CDC, some ticks can carry pathogens that can lead to human disease, including:

• Alpha-gal syndrome
• Anaplasmosis
• Babesiosis
• Bourbon virus
• Colorado tick fever
• Ehrlichiosis
• Hard tick relapsing fever
• Heartland virus
• Lyme disease
• Powassan virus
• Rickettsia parkeri rickettsiosis
• Rocky Mountain spotted fever
• Soft tick relapsing fever
• STARI
• Tularemia
• 364D rickettsiosis

What are the symptoms of tickborne diseases?

The CDC recommends consulting a healthcare provider if you are bitten by a tick and develop the following symptoms within a few weeks:

• Fever/chills. All tickborne diseases can cause fever.
• Aches and pains. Tickborne diseases can cause headache, fatigue and muscle aches. People with Lyme disease might also have joint pain.
• Rash. Lyme disease, Southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI), Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), ehrlichiosis and tularemia can cause distinctive rashes.

What is tick paralysis?

Tick paralysis is believed to be caused by a toxin in the saliva of an attached tick.

People with tick paralysis can experience weakness or paralysis that gradually moves up the body. These symptoms can sometimes resemble other neurologic conditions (for example, Guillain-Barré syndrome or botulism).

Patients typically regain movement within 24 hours of removing the tick, wrote the CDC.

How do ticks spread disease?

Ticks spread disease while feeding on a host’s blood.

After finding a spot, they latch onto the skin, cut into it, and insert a feeding tube that helps them stay attached. According to the CDC, some ticks release a substance to hold themselves in place and saliva with mild anesthetic effects, which makes the bite hard to feel.

Feeding can last from minutes to several days, depending on the species. During this time, ticks can both pick up pathogens from an infected host and transmit them through their saliva, added the CDC.

Once finished, they drop off and can pass any acquired diseases to a new host during their next feeding.

What types of ticks are common in Tennessee?

There are several common tick species in Tennessee. Here are the ones you’re most likely to encounter around your yard, according to All-American Pest Control Inc., a Middle Tennessee based pest control company:

• Lone star ticks: Common across the state, these ticks are the least likely of the three to bite humans. They are named for the distinctive white spot found on the backs of adult females.
• American dog ticks (wood ticks): Larger in size, these ticks have reddish‑brown bodies with white or yellow markings. Dogs and humans are their primary hosts.
• Black‑legged ticks (deer ticks): The smallest of the common Tennessee ticks, black‑legged ticks are most often linked to disease transmission, though all three species can spread various illnesses.

Where are ticks most commonly found in Tennessee?

Ticks are outdoor pests.

While they can be carried indoors on people or pets, they cannot survive inside for long due to the lower humidity levels in houses.

Outdoors, ticks can appear in many areas, but they favor dense vegetation and moist environments. They’re most likely to be found in the following places:

• Tall grass
• Overgrown lawns
• Wooded areas
• Tree lines
• Leaf litter
• Brush piles
• Yard edges
• Fence lines
• Parks
• Trails

Contributing: USA TODAY

Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@gannett.com.