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Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Zika, Lyme drive big increase in bug-borne disease in U.S.

(Click on the image for Maggie Fox's nbcnews.com report)
  • More than 640,000 Americans were infected by so-called vector-borne diseases between 2004 and 2016, and nine new diseases, from Bourbon virus to Zika, have shown up, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
  • In 2004, just 27,388 cases of these diseases were reported. In 2016, more than 96,000 were. These numbers are almost certainly an underestimate, the CDC added.
  • Most of the increase comes from the arrival of Zika virus in 2015 and from ticks. Longer, hotter summers are not helping, said Dr. Lyle Petersen of the CDC’s National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases.
CDC's advice for staying safe:
  • Use an Environmental Protection Agency-registered insect repellent
  • Wear long-sleeve shirts and long pants.
  • Treat items, such as boots, pants, socks, and tents, with permethrin or use permethrin-treated clothing and gear.
  • Take steps to control ticks and fleas on pets.
  • Find and remove ticks daily from family and pets.
  • Take steps to control mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas inside and outside your home.