Ticks are a threat. Congress and New York must act.

The return of tick season on Long Island mars the joy brought by warmer weather and longer days. This spring and summer are forecast for heavier than usual tick activity, which will likely mean higher rates of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses that are already surging. That's reason enough for Long Islanders to take extra precautions to protect themselves, their families and their pets.

But there are scarier factors beyond our immediate control that should creep us out as much as the crawling of a bloodsucking arachnid on our bare skin.

Tick-borne illnesses are spreading farther and reported infections are rising. Congress hasn't reauthorized a law that would increase research spending. The emergence of alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), which can cause an allergic reaction to red meat, is troubling. And a possible Lyme disease vaccine that recently showed promise fell short of a key metric. All while vaccines in general face stiff political pressure.

There is an urgent need for a unified, multifaceted approach funded by Washington.

Suffolk County reported more instances of Lyme disease than any other county in the nation in 2023 by far. Suffolk's 3,262 cases were almost double the number reported in Bristol County, Massachusetts (1,688), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Suffolk also reported more cases of AGS than anywhere else in the nation in 2023 — more than doubling those in Bedford County, Virginia — and 4% of all cases nationwide were reported from Suffolk, according to the CDC.

Long Island is ground zero in the battle against tick-borne illnesses.

Lyme disease and AGS can be debilitating — and in rare cases fatal — especially if undetected or untreated. There are others — babesiosis, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis and more that can cause flu-like symptoms — that are found on Long Island at high rates that also demand action.

Lyme disease can lead to long-term damage of the heart and nervous system. A New Jersey man died in 2024 from AGS after eating a hamburger. While Lyme disease has received much attention, especially here on Long Island, AGS is just emerging.

Long Island's climate is a prime tick habitat, and carriers like white-tailed deer, mice and birds provide ample food for ticks. As Long Islanders know all too well, a hiking trip or even walk in the backyard can lead to a tick bite. We aren't overdramatizing the danger of a short stroll in a park.

The diligent efforts of nonprofits around the country brought Lyme disease to the forefront of the national consciousness. Now, that same kind of crusade should bring AGS into the light, so researchers and municipalities receive funding while keeping Lyme disease front and center.

Like most diseases, the impact goes beyond the health of the individual. Certainly, individuals and their families battling Lyme disease, AGS and others know the physical and emotional toll. But society ends up bearing a hefty financial burden when research and education for illnesses go underfunded.

Lyme disease alone is estimated to cost as much as $1 billion a year in America, according to numerous studies. And that's likely a conservative estimate. It is widely believed that some cases go undiagnosed.

Often, people aren't aware that they've been bitten by a tick, so they don't know if they have contracted Lyme or AGS. Not long ago on the East End, AGS was known as "lone star disease" after the type of tick that carries the alpha-gal molecule.

Education remains a priority for Long Island municipalities, with assistance from state and federal health officials, to reach as many residents as possible. A sustained effort is required to teach people not only about the dangers of tick-borne illnesses, but prevention and treatment options.

Identifying behavior trends of ticks and tick-borne illnesses, like increased activity and proliferation because of warmer weather, is also going to be expensive but imperative in the fight. Scientists need to identify how to mitigate the spread and effect of these health hazards.

But AGS isn't a nationally notifiable condition, so health care providers outside New York City don't alert local and state officials who would then report cases to the CDC. The lack of coordination and research muddles effective research and treatment. Money must be allocated to teach people about prevention and early recognition of tick-borne illnesses, pay for longitudinal studies to identify long-term implications, improve testing, and improve training for health professionals.

Tick-borne diseases are a national public health threat. Congress must take the lead and provide more money to states for research, treatment, awareness and prevention of these devastating illnesses.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pledged during his confirmation hearing last year to eradicate Lyme disease. "There is nobody who will fight harder to find a vaccine or a treatment for Lyme disease than me." It's time for Kennedy and the federal government to deliver.