Parents! Before you get too excited about the impending hot, summer days and sending your kids off to play in the wild, be forewarned that the CDC has found illnesses from mosquito, tick, and flea bites are on the rise.
In a recently released study in the current issue of Vital Signs, it was found that from 2004-2016, more than 640,000 cases of vector-borne diseases were reported. That means that diseases coming as a result of bites from fleas, mosquitos and ticks have tripled at an alarming rate.
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Disease cases from #mosquito, #tick, and #flea bites tripled in the US from 2004-2016. Over 640,000 cases of disease spread by mosquitoes and ticks reported and 9 new germs discovered or introduced in the US. Learn more in new #VitalSigns. https://t.co/cNTztAgt5O pic.twitter.com/N6m7HhHpIx
— CDC (@CDCgov) May 1, 2018
To get you up to speed, a vector is a living organism that is often a blood-sucking insect and is able to transmit diseases. A vector-borne disease is transmitted by a vector organism, and some you’ve probably heard about are malaria, Zika, the plague and Lyme. Yes, they all sound pretty scary.
Perhaps even scarier is the fact that nine NEW germs have been discovered in the same time span as a result of the spread of disease––and Zika is one of them.
As residents of the U.S., we rely on our local health departments and vector control agencies to help control the insect population, however, the study from the CDC also found that 84% these organizations lack the necessary tools to manage the issue. As parents, it’s up to us to be hyper-vigilant and do our part to be as safe as possible when enjoying the outdoors this summer. The CDC has several recommendations and we’ve compiled them for you below in a tidy infographic.
Despite some scary statistics, there are plenty of ways to stay safe this summer when it comes to protecting your family from pesky insects. Here’s to a happy and healthy summer season!
––Karly Wood
Feature Photo: Pixabay
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