CDC freaks people out by hiding ticks on a lemon poppy seed muffin — again

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sure knows how to get people’s attention.

About a year ago, the federal health agency horrified the collective internet by posting a tick warning that included a picture of a lemon poppy seed muffin. That muffin looked delicious — until viewers read that five of those poppy seeds were actually tiny ticks.

And now the CDC is back with the same warning.

“Ticks can be as small as a poppy seed,” the CDC wrote in a Facebook post on Wednesday morning. “There are 5 ticks in this photo. Can you spot them? Learn how to prevent tick bites and protect yourself.”

Cue the freakout — again.

But if spreading the word about ticks and their dangers was the Atlanta-based health agency’s goal, it appears to have worked: Like last year, the agency’s warning grabbed headlines and attention across social media, with more than 1,000 shares on Facebook within a day. It doesn’t appear that this year’s warning was shared on Twitter, where last year’s was posted.

Fox News wrote this week that the “CDC ruins appetites with unsettling tick warning.” The New York Daily News told readers that “The CDC wants to know: Can you spot the difference between a tick and poppy seed?”

Facebook users were largely grossed out.

“My love for lemon poppy seed muffins has suddenly vanished. Thanks, CDC,” read one Facebook comment on the post.

“The poppy seed muffin I bought for breakfast is headed straight to the trash can,” read another comment.

“How dare you,” wrote one outraged muffin fan.

But the CDC post also had some supporters.

“This is a GENIUS illustration - thank you!” read one Facebook comment.

“What a great visual aid. Love it!” read another comment.

More people in the U.S. will be bitten by ticks in May, June and July than in any other three-month span of the year, according to the CDC. A 2016 study found ticks infected with Lyme disease in about half of U.S. counties.

About 30,000 people are diagnosed with Lyme disease in the U.S. each year, the CDC reports, but the real number of infections each year could top 300,000.

Symptoms of Lyme disease, caused by bacteria spread by ticks, include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash. If left untreated, the infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system, according to the CDC.

Last year the CDC offered an apology after the original tweet — sort of.

“Sorry we ticked some of you off! Don’t let a tick bite ruin your summer,” the CDC wrote.

This story was originally published May 30, 2019 at 2:22 PM with the headline "CDC freaks people out by hiding ticks on a lemon poppy seed muffin — again."