HUNTINGTON, NY – July 9, 2026
As residents head outdoors in warmer weather, medical experts in Huntington are underscoring a simple reality with high-stakes consequences: tick bites often do not hurt – and that is what makes them so dangerous.
At a community education seminar held Thursday at the Cinema Arts Center, hosted by Councilwoman Theresa Mari in partnership with Northwell Health, speakers from Northwell Health and Huntington Hospital outlined why Long Island remains a high-incidence region for Lyme disease, what residents should look for after time in parks and yards, and how quick action after a tick bite can help prevent illness.
Councilwoman Theresa Mari framed the seminar as a timely public health effort, saying, “On Long Island, spending time outdoors is part of our way of life, but it also means we must be aware of the growing threat of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses. By partnering with Northwell Huntington Hospital to host this Lyme Disease Information and Prevention Seminar, we are giving residents the knowledge they need to protect themselves, their families, and their pets. Education is one of the most effective tools we have when it comes to prevention. It is especially important at this time of year, when tick activity is at its highest and more families are enjoying our parks, trails, beaches, and backyards. Early recognition, prevention, and prompt treatment can make a significant difference.”
“Ticks are a big, big issue,” said Dr. Adrian Popp, Chair of Infection Prevention and Infectious Disease at Huntington Hospital – Northwell Health. “Tick bites don’t hurt…these events occur without us necessarily knowing.”
A hospital’s prevention mindset – before the emergency department
The event opened with remarks emphasizing prevention as a community health strategy – not just a hospital responsibility once patients arrive for care.
“We are committed to caring for the health and needs of our community before you get into our emergency department,” said Jeremiah Mollari, Program Manager, Community Relations, Huntington Hospital – Northwell Health, explaining why the hospital hosts public education programs like the tick and Lyme presentation.
Samantha Sinclair, RN, MSN, CIC, Director of Infection Prevention and Control at Huntington Hospital – Northwell Health, described infection prevention work that relies on routine practices and close coordination with public health partners.
“The goal of my department at the hospital is to prevent…transmission or the spread of organisms through the hospital,” Sinclair said, citing hand hygiene, appropriate use of PPE like gowns and gloves, and monitoring and surveillance. She also noted collaboration “working very closely with the local Suffolk County Department of Health” and referenced Northwell’s systemwide communication.
Sinclair then introduced Popp, who centered his talk on the local and regional realities of ticks and tick-borne disease.
Long Island is a high-incidence region, and the trend is rising
Popp presented data indicating that tick encounters and Lyme disease treatments are widespread and increasing.
- An estimated 31 million people are thought to be bitten by a tick in a given year, Popp said.
- About 476,000 end up being treated for Lyme disease.
He also pointed to national and regional maps showing the Northeast – including New York State – as a major cluster, with Long Island in a high-incidence category.
“We live in a beautiful area…with nice seashores with nature and everything,” Popp said. “But it comes, unfortunately, at a price because we also have a lot of ticks.”
Popp said New York State’s reported illness numbers have increased dramatically over recent years and continue to increase.
More than Lyme: five types of tick-related illnesses discussed
While Lyme disease is the most well-known, Popp cautioned the audience not to focus on a single diagnosis.
“These are the ticks that can carry not only Lyme disease but four different tick-related illnesses,” he said, listing:
- Lyme disease
- Babesia (babesiosis)
- Ehrlichia (ehrlichiosis)
- Anaplasma (anaplasmosis)
- Rickettsial spotted fever (including Rocky Mountain spotted fever)
He also discussed a condition that is not an infection but is associated with tick exposure: alpha-gal syndrome, sometimes described as a red meat allergy, linked to the lone star tick.
The ticks are smaller than you think – and that matters
Popp emphasized that many people underestimate tick risk because ticks can be hard to see, especially in early life stages.
“The reality is these ticks are very, very small,” he said, describing dog ticks, deer ticks/blacklegged ticks, and the lone star tick (identified by its distinctive white dot).
A key danger, Popp said, is that tick bites can go unnoticed while the tick feeds.
“The tick usually stays attached for about twenty-four to forty-eight hours, until it gets its blood meal. And then it drops,” he said. “You can never know you were bitten until maybe later on when issues start.”
He warned that ticks can attach in hidden places, including the scalp, and that showering may not remove them because “these ticks are sturdy” and can embed.
The prevention step Popp called “paramount”: the tick check
With sprays and repellents offering imperfect protection, Popp repeatedly returned to a practical routine after outdoor activity.
“If you go out walking wherever there is grass, [or] walk in the forest…at the end of the day you have to do what’s called a tick check,” he said.
Popp recommended:
- Undressing and closely inspecting skin
- Using a partner to check areas you cannot see
- Wearing glasses if needed – or using a magnifying glass because “these ticks are tiny”
When asked about recommended sprays, Popp pointed to a flyer listing products such as DEET-based repellents, but stressed that “none of them are perfect.” He described situations where people still ended up with “many ticks” after brushing against dense vegetation.
“So at the end of the day, the tick check is the most important thing you do,” Popp said.
How to remove a tick – and what to do with it afterward
Popp demonstrated the basics of removal and stressed preserving the tick for identification.
If you find a tick attached:
- Use small tweezers
- “Grab the tick from the side” and lift carefully, trying to remove the head embedded in the skin
- Place the tick in a small jar or bag
- Bring it to a healthcare provider who can identify the type of tick
Popp said the ability to identify the tick can help clinicians decide next steps, though later he added that labs may identify tick type but “can’t truly tell you that tick is infected with any of those diseases…or not.”
Audience members echoed the importance of not crushing the tick beyond recognition. One attendee with veterinary experience cautioned against “destroying the tick…because then it can’t be identified.”
A critical time window: 72 hours for Lyme prophylaxis
Popp told attendees that swift action after a bite can reduce the chance of developing Lyme disease.
If the tick is a Lyme-carrying tick, Popp said doctors may provide doxycycline as prophylaxis – but timing is key.
“For this to be effective, you have to be fast…act within the first 72 hours,” he said. “You can receive prophylaxis with one dose of an antibiotic.”
Popp described this early response as a way to avoid a longer antibiotic course later if Lyme develops.
Recognizing Lyme – and why the rash can be missed
Popp identified the bacterium responsible for Lyme as Borrelia burgdorferi, noting it can progress from early localized illness to disseminated and late disease if untreated.
He showed the “typical” bullseye rash (erythema migrans), describing it as potentially faint and painless.
“It’s not that impressive…it can be quite faint…most importantly, it doesn’t hurt,” Popp said. “It does last for three, four, five days and it disappears. Without treatment, it disappears. That doesn’t mean you’re cured.”
He added that the bullseye rash is specific: “Only Lyme disease has a bullseye rash.” Other tick-borne illnesses may have no rash and can present with non-specific symptoms such as:
- Fever
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Joint aches
Because those symptoms overlap with many other illnesses, Popp said, diagnosis can be missed if tick exposure is not considered.
Testing timing: why early blood work can be negative
When asked about panels for multiple tick-borne diseases and the best time to test, Popp explained that many common tests depend on antibodies, which take time to develop.
For Lyme disease, he said, “It takes about four weeks to develop antibodies and show up on a blood test.” That means testing when a rash appears within a few days may yield a negative result even when Lyme is present.
In some situations, Popp said PCR testing can identify certain diseases earlier than antibody-based panels, particularly when a patient is already sick.
For people with repeated seasonal exposure – such as those working outdoors in tick-prone areas – Popp suggested discussing end-of-season testing with a physician “somewhere in October or November” to help detect an unknown exposure.
An audience member also reminded attendees that testing is not always automatic. “You actually have to ask for the Lyme test,” the attendee said, advising residents to confirm what is included when bloodwork is ordered.
Popp agreed that tick-disease panels vary by laboratory and said providers should confirm that panels include the diseases relevant to a patient’s exposure and symptoms. Antibodies present can be detected in blood tests many years after a tick bite.
Alpha-gal syndrome: when a tick bite can trigger red meat allergy
Popp also addressed alpha-gal syndrome, which he described as an allergic reaction tied to the lone star tick rather than an infection.
“It is not an infectious disease,” he said. “It’s an allergic reaction that our body developed from this lone star tick saliva.”
He said certain people develop antibodies that can cross-react with red meat – “veal, pork, mammals’ meat” – triggering symptoms such as “fever, rashes, weakness, nausea, vomiting.”
He advised that fish and chicken do not cross-react. As for how long it lasts, Popp said it can persist “for months, sometimes years,” and noted there is “no real good treatment for it.”
Deer, rodents, and yard realities in Huntington
Several questions from the audience focused on deer and whether local control efforts could reduce tick risk. Popp acknowledged that deer are visible carriers but emphasized they are not the only factor.
“It’s not only the deer that carry these ticks,” he said, noting rabbits and other rodents can carry ticks as well.
Popp also pointed to broader patterns, including warmer winters and less frost, which may allow ticks to survive longer, extending the season.
He described deer sightings in unexpected residential areas – “in between houses with fences…high fences” – and said residents might spot deer in roads at “three or four a.m.” in places where they have never seen them before.
For a resident in the Village of Huntington who asked whether it is unsafe to walk on a regularly mowed lawn, Popp said ticks can still be present because they can drop off deer or rodents and wait in the grass.
“Cut or uncut…you walk into a patch of grass; there could be ticks there,” he said.
On yard spraying, Popp was cautious, saying he was “not quite sure how effective that is” and noting concerns about toxicity – “the more effective you want to be, you have to be more toxic.”
A conservation angle: invasive plants and tick habitat
A public comment from Marie Neil of The Long Island Conservation Alliance added an environmental perspective – suggesting that landscaping choices can influence tick habitat.
Neil said certain commonly found plants on Long Island are associated with increased Lyme incidence because they create dense cover and humidity that helps ticks and their host animals.
She identified:
- English ivy
- Bush honeysuckle
- Japanese barberry
“These plants create humidity that allows ticks to survive the winter,” Neil said, adding that dense ivy can also reduce how effectively birds of prey hunt rodents, including the white-footed mouse, which she described as a vector for Lyme disease.
Her advice: include plant identification and removal in a broader Lyme prevention strategy at home and in parks.
Clothing, heat, and practical tips from the audience
Attendees shared additional tactics during the Q&A:
- One said high heat in a dryer is more effective than washing alone for killing ticks on clothing – which Popp confirmed, adding that many wash cycles do not reach high enough temperatures.
- Popp warned against complacency with long sleeves because ticks can enter through “little crannies around the collar and around their sleeves.”
- Another attendee relayed advice about using a rubber band around socks to reduce the chance of ticks crawling down into footwear.
Popp ultimately returned to the simplest habit.
“Everything I said…the best thing to do is prevention,” he told the crowd. “Check at the end of the day if you went out and about in the grass and the forest and so forth. That’s simple and it’s effective.”
Photography by Dana E. Richter, Videography by June Margolin.
