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Common Mosquito and Tick Diseases

Risks and Prevention of Common Mosquito and Tick Diseases


Being bitten by mosquitoes or ticks is never fun. In the best cases, bug bites leave you itchy and irritated for days. But ticks, mosquitoes, and other biting insects can be more than a nuisance; they can be deadly. Cases of diagnosed diseases resulting from infected mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas have tripled in the last 13 years, totaling more than 640,000 since 2004. Mosquito Joe is concerned about the rise in cases of Lyme disease, Zika virus, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Malaria, West Nile, Eastern Equine Encephalitis, and other viruses and diseases. To keep your family, pets, and yourself healthy, you must be aware of the common tick diseases and diseases caused by mosquito bites and how to prevent them.

Risks and Prevention of Common Mosquito and Tick Diseases

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Common Mosquito Diseases
  • Malaria is an acute illness that is marked by a fever caused by Plasmodium parasites. Outbreaks of locally transmitted cases of malaria in the US have been small and isolated, but the potential risk for the disease is present in areas with warmer temperatures, humidity, and more rainfall.  In June of 2023, cases of malaria confirmed in the United States were classified as the Plasmodium vivax strain. The primary form of transmission is through the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito. However, because the malaria parasite can be found in the red blood cells of an infected person, this mosquito-borne disease can also be transmitted through blood transfusion, organ transplant, or shared use of contaminated needles or syringes.

    Symptoms of malaria usually begin within 10 to 15 days after the bite of an infected mosquito and include fever, headache, and chills. Symptoms may be mild and, therefore, difficult to recognize as malaria. Fortunately, malaria is preventable and curable with the use of antimalarial medications.

Common Tick Diseases

Risk Factors for Mosquito and Tick Diseases


Of course, proximity is the primary risk factor for getting bitten by a tick or mosquito carrying a specific disease. For instance, if the West Nile virus is prevalent in your area, or you travel to a location where there is an outbreak of malaria or Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, you will be at a greater risk of getting bitten and contracting the disease. The more time you spend outdoors, especially in undeveloped, wooded, or natural areas, the more likely you will get bitten by ticks and mosquitoes. And the risks go up if you have a blood type that is attractive to ticks and mosquitoes. Even if you stay close to home, many factors may attract ticks and mosquitoes to your property, like standing water, overgrown grass, and other concerns. If you or a family member has a compromised immune system, you are at greater risk of getting sick from a bug bite.

Preventing Mosquito and Tick Bites

As with ticks, the best mosquito protection is a combination of approaches. First, take steps to prevent biters from settling on your property. Making your home and garden less attractive to pests is vital to any effective pest control program. Once you eliminate the attractions for ticks and mosquitoes, consider adding plants to your yard that repel the pests. And look for ways to attract the natural predators that feast on the biters. You can also use topical pest repellents and dress carefully outdoors. Wear loose, lightweight clothing that covers you from the neck to wrists, and make sure your ankles and feet are protected as well. Light colors do not attract mosquitoes the way darker, bolder colors do, and it is easier to spot ticks on white clothing than on dark.

Treatment and Management of Mosquito and Tick Diseases

Vector-borne diseases are infections transmitted by bites from arthropods such as mosquitoes, ticks, sandflies, and blackflies. Although common tick diseases differ from the diseases caused by mosquito bites, many symptoms are the same. If you find yourself or a family member exhibiting signs of vector-borne disease, seek prompt medical attention. These symptoms include:

  • Fever

  • Headache

  • Abdominal pain

  • Vomiting

  • Muscle pain

  • Rash

  • Fatigue

  • Joint pain

  • Stiff neck

  • Paralysis

While tick diseases may be treated with powerful antibiotics like Doxycycline and Rifampin, we still don’t have specific medical treatments for mosquito-borne diseases. However, your doctor can address the symptoms to make you more comfortable and prevent an escalation of your condition.

Protecting Yourself from Mosquito and Tick Diseases

Mosquito and tick populations are growing and moving throughout the country. As a result, incidents of vector-borne diseases are on the rise. But there is a lot that you can do to protect yourself, your family, and your pets. Here are some of the steps you can take:

  • Minimize the presence of stagnant water on your property, as it provides an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes. Regularly empty birdbaths, children’s toys, kiddie pools, tire swings, and gardening materials like watering cans and pots. Also, routinely clear gutters, and use soil to fill in low areas in lawns where rainwater may collect.

  • Remove trash and leaf litter from your yard, as these are places where ticks like to hide.

  • Always remember that the best mosquito protection and tick prevention plans combine several pest control approaches.

  • Mow your lawn frequently.

  • Build fences around your property to inhibit animals such as deer, raccoons, and stray dogs from entering your yard.

  • Use topical insect repellent.

  • Plant pest-repelling plants.

  • Bathe pets with flea and tick shampoo.

  • Use pest-repelling candles, torches, or coils.

  • Stay informed about new developments in pest migration and control.

  • Hire expert pest control services.

Always remember that the best mosquito protection and tick prevention plans combine several pest control approaches.

Choose Mosquito Joe for Pest-free Enjoyment Outdoors

Taking simple precautions like these will lessen the risk of dangerous pests that can spread disease. Mosquito Joe can be an added layer of defense for you, your family, and your pets by working to eliminate fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes from your property. Trust the experts at Mosquito Joe to keep your home and garden free of pests. We provide customized pest control for residential and commercial properties across the country. All our work is backed by the Neighborly Done Right Promise® and the Mosquito Joe Satisfaction Guarantee. So, request a quote using our online form, or give us a call and get ready to wave goodbye to ticks and mosquitoes!

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