According to a paper published in the Journal of Medical Entomology, scientists found ticks carrying babesiosis disease in several Mid-Atlantic states. The rare, parasitic infection lives in the blood of rodents such as shrews, chipmunks and mice, and can be contracted by humans through tick bites. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, babesiosis can attack red blood cells and cause flu-like symptoms, including fever, chills, body aches, nausea and fatigue.

Historically, the disease has been reported in the Upper Midwest and Northeast regions of the United States. In this study, researchers collected more than 1,300 black-legged ticks from Virginia, Maryland and Delaware and discovered that 2.7 percent of the ticks carried the babesiosis parasite. Although the incidence rate is relatively low, these findings underscore the importance of healthcare providers in these states to be vigilant for the disease and provide appropriate treatment to affected individuals.