Illnesses spread by mosquitoes and ticks are on the rise, Elizabeth Tracey reports

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Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that over the last decade plus illnesses conveyed by ticks and mosquitoes, so called vector-borne infections, have risen by over 300%. Mary Shue, a Johns Hopkins dermatologist, says people often see the first evidence of such an infection on their skin.

Shue: If you have skin findings that are accompanied by systemic symptoms fever and joint pain and a rash or two out of the three, or flushing and some gastrointestinal issues the CDC just issued some statistics that the number of vector borne, so tick and mosquito borne illnesses tripled from 2004 to 2016 it went from about 27,000 cases in the US to just under 100,000 cases of vector borne illnesses.   :31

Shue says wearing insect repellent if you are planning to be outdoors is helpful, although not 100% effective in eliminating transmission, so be aware of any rash or systemic illness. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.