In recognition of Lyme Disease Awareness Month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urges people to “Get the tips to stop the ticks!”

Throughout the month of May, CDC will be releasing short prevention videos through their Facebook and Twitter accounts. According to the CDC, “the bright and entertaining social media video series highlights proven methods of preventing tick bites and tickborne disease, including using insect repellent, doing tick checks, showering after coming indoors, and calling a healthcare provider after noticing a rash or fever. The animated tick character models prevention behaviors to show how easy personal prevention can be. Each video uses movement, sound, and humor to draw in audiences.”

Other Resources

CDC’s new MMWR publication, Emergency Department Visits for Tick Bites — United States, January 2017–December 2019 and related Tick Bite Data Tracker – a data dashboard showcasing emergency department visits for tick bites (updated on a weekly basis) are other resources released in recent times. The MMWR report suggests that public educational campaigns about safely removing ticks at home might reduce healthcare burden, associated healthcare costs, and personal risk of exposure to tickborne diseases. The Tracker developed from this analysis allows healthcare providers, public health practitioners, and the general public access to timely data that can drive tick bite prevention efforts.

Released last week was a special collection of articles curated by scientists at CDC and published in the Journal of Medical Entomology. The articles focuses on the rise of ticks and tickborne diseases in the United States, draws attention to tickborne disease threats in the United States, and identifies priority needs.