New Hampshire health officials are warning the public about an increase in tick-borne illness cases in the state. Ticks in the state can carry at least five different infections, including Lyme disease, anaplasma, babesia, Powassan virus and Borrelia miyamotoi, officials said.Many Granite Staters are aware that ticks are a problem. Resident Amy Bowker said she walks her dogs three times a day and does regular tick checks on herself and her pet. "In the last three weeks, I have personally taken 16 ticks off of Wesley," Bowker said.New Hampshire has one of the highest rates of Lyme disease in the country. About 50-60 percent of blacklegged ticks, also known as deer ticks, sampled from across the state were found to be infected with the bacterium that causes the disease.Health officials said the number of anaplasmosis cases doubled from 2016 to 2017, and the reason for the increase is unknown. The number of new cases of babesiosis also rose. Health officials said the disease can be transmitted via tick bites and blood transfusions, so anyone with a suspected babesiosis should get checked before donating blood."Here in New Hampshire for anaplasma and babesia, we have seen a doubling of these infections over recent years," said Beth Daly, state infectious disease specialist. "In 2017, we had 317 cases of anaplasma and 78 cases of babesia."Daly said people who have been infected by the diseases might experience flu-like symptoms that can turn into serious complications. "It is important to get treated promptly, so you can prevent more serious infections and potentially death," she said.Three Granite Staters have come down with the Powassan virus, including one last year and one each in 2016 and 2013. The disease can cause a debilitating neurological illness, officials said.A Borrelia miyamotoi infection, which can cause symptoms similar to those from anaplasmosis infections, was confirmed recently in one resident. Health officials said Lyme disease tests don’t reliably detect Borrelia miyamotoi, so providers are encouraged to test specifically for any suspected Borrelia miyamotoi case.Officials said Granite Staters are most likely to be infected between April and August, so precautions must be taken now. Experts said there are places that can test ticks to see if they are carrying any diseases.To avoid contracting tick-borne infections, consider these tips from state health officials:-- Avoid tick-infested areas when possible and stay on the path when hiking to avoid brush.-- Wear light-colored clothing that covers arms and legs so ticks can be more easily seen.-- Tuck pants into socks before going into wooded or grassy areas.-- Apply insect repellent (20-30% DEET) to exposed skin.-- Permethrin is highly effective at repelling ticks on clothing; it is not meant for use on skin.-- Outdoor workers in NH are at particular risk of tick-borne diseases and they should be reminded about methods of prevention.-- Perform daily tick checks to look for ticks on the body, especially warm places like behind the knees, behind the ears, the groin, and the back of neck.-- Pets returning inside may also bring ticks with them. Performing tick checks and using tick preventatives on pets will minimize this occurrence.-- Encourage landscape or environmental management to reduce tick habitat and encounters.-- Shower soon after returning indoors to wash off any unattached ticks and check clothes for any ticks that might have been carried inside. Placing dry clothes in the dryer on high heat for ten minutes or one hour for wet or damp clothes effectively kills ticks.-- Remove ticks promptly using tweezers. Tick removal within 36 hours of attachment can prevent Lyme disease, but transmission of other tick-borne diseases can occur with shorter periods of attachment time.-- Monitor for signs and symptoms of tick-borne diseases for 30 days after a tick bite. Patients should contact their healthcare provider if symptoms develop.For more information, read the alert from health officials.