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CDC apologizes for ruining your breakfast

Posted at 10:51 AM, May 09, 2018
and last updated 2018-05-09 11:38:06-04

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was simply trying to warn Americans about the dangers posed by ticks and the diseases they spread. Instead, they ended up unintentionally ruining some of their followers' appetites.

Tick-borne illnesses are on the rise, so the CDC has been pushing Americans to check for ticks after spending time outdoors. On Friday, the agency reminded its followers just how small those the pests can be, tweeting two photos of a poppy seed muffin.

"Ticks can be the size of a poppy seed. Can you spot all 5 ticks in this photo?" the CDC tweeted.

 

 

A close look at the muffin showed that some of the black flecks in the muffin did, in fact, have legs — causing many followers to feel queasy.

 

 

 

 

Some followers had a better sense of humor about the tweet.

 

 

 

 

On Sunday, the CDC apologized for forever ruining poppy seed muffins for some — but maintained its warning about the seriousness of tick bites.

 

 

Alex Hider is a writer for the E.W. Scripps National Desk. Follow him on Twitter @alexhider.