Illnesses Tied to Ticks and Mosquitoes Soaring in US

Diseases transmitted by ticks and mosquitoes in the United States (US) have more than tripled over the past decade from about 27,000 cases in 2004 to over 96,000 cases in 2016. Dr. Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) adds, “Zika, West Nile, Lyme, and chikungunya—a growing list of diseases caused by the bite of an infected mosquito, tick or flea— have confronted the US in recent years, making a lot of people sick. And we don’t know what will threaten Americans next.” The report reveals the need for an increased effort to both combat the spread of these pests and better educate the public how to prevent bites. CDC Vital Signs Report, May 2018