CDC: Illnesses from Mosquito, Tick and Flea Bites Triple Over 13 Years

Illnesses from mosquito, tick and flea bites more than tripled in the United States between 2004 and 2016 to more than 96,000 a year, according to a released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 642,000 cases were reported over the period. 鈥淶ika, West Nile, Lyme, and chikungunya 鈥 a growing list of diseases caused by the bite of an infected mosquito, tick, or flea 鈥 have confronted the U.S. in recent years, making a lot of people sick. And we don鈥檛 know what will threaten Americans next,鈥 CDC Director Robert R. Redfield, M.D. 鈥淥ur nation鈥檚 first lines of defense are state and local health departments and vector-control organizations, and we must continue to enhance our investment in their ability to fight against these diseases.鈥