Disease

Tick and Mosquito-borne Diseases Are On the Rise

Illnesses from mosquito, tick and flea bites are on the rise in the United States, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The report found that during the 13-year study period, the number of reported illnesses from mosquito, tick and flea bites more than tripled, going from about 27,300 cases in 2004 to 96,000 cases in 2016. Overall, more than 640,000 cases of these so-called vector-borne diseases were reported during the study period.

What's more, nine germs spread by these insects — including Zika virus and chikungunya virus, which spread by mosquitoes, and babesiosis, which spreads by ticks — were discovered or introduced to the U.S. during the study period, according to the report.

It has been suggested that the effects of climate change are expanding the range of ticks, fleas and mosquitos as well as the period of their active season.