Snopes Investigates 8 Tick-Rumor Claims Over 10 Years as Disease Risks Rise

1 articles · Updated · Snopes.com · May 27

Eight disease-spreading tick claims investigated by Snopes over the past decade range from conspiracy theories to fabricated field discoveries, reflecting renewed online attention in 2026.
16 tick-borne diseases are listed by the CDC, including Lyme disease, alpha-gal syndrome and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, underscoring why misinformation around ticks gains traction.
Climate change is helping ticks spread beyond summer into winter, increasing human and animal exposure as warming conditions expand their activity.
Recent rumors echoed earlier falsehoods: Snopes debunked a 2017 claim that PETA released lone star ticks in the Northeast, and in spring 2026 rejected posts alleging farmers found boxes of ticks in fields.
The broader stakes extend beyond people, with Asian blue ticks able to infect cattle with infectious anemia and add pressure to the livestock industry.

An invasive 'super tick' is spreading an incurable disease in US cattle. What does this mean for the nation's food supply?

With a single tick bite now able to transmit multiple diseases, are current medical treatments becoming obsolete?