Real Stories: Tick and Mosquito Bites

At a glance

  • Testimonial videos about people's experiences with tick and mosquito bites.
  • Videos highlight risk factors, symptoms, and simple steps people can take each day to protect themselves and their families.
Man applying insect repellent to prevent mosquito bites.

About vector-borne diseases

Almost everyone has been bitten by a mosquito or tick. Mosquitoes and ticks that spread germs (pathogens) are called vectors. A person who gets bitten by a vector and gets sick could have a vector-borne disease. Some vector-borne diseases cause mild symptoms, but others can become serious, life-threatening illnesses.

Cases of vector-borne diseases have increased significantly since 2004, with more than 1 million cases reported between 2001 and 2023 in the United States.

Prevent tick and mosquito bites

Bites from mosquitoes and ticks can make you sick. The best way to prevent tick and mosquito bites is by using insect repellent.

When a tick bite causes a red meat allergy

A personal story about alpha-gal syndrome

  • A Georgia man spends a lot of time outdoors with his family but never gave much thought to ticks.
  • He woke up in the middle of the night feeling dizzy and lightheaded. His body was soon covered in hives.
  • He spent months searching for answers to his frequent and puzzling symptoms, eventually diagnosed as alpha-gal syndrome.

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It starts with a mosquito bite

A personal story about West Nile virus

  • A 39-year-old Georgia man looked forward to building a shed in his backyard and completing a longstanding outdoor home improvement project.
  • He wasn't the only one enjoying his backyard—mosquitoes liked it too.
  • A mosquito bite changed his life forever.

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Preventing Lyme disease in children

A personal story about preventing Lyme disease

  • A Virginia mom was surprised when her daughter was bitten by a tick while playing on their backyard playset.
  • Blacklegged ticks can carry the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. Lyme disease is most common in the Northeast, mid-Atlantic, and upper-Midwest regions of the United States.
  • After the tick was removed, the mom spoke to her child’s doctor about steps to help prevent Lyme disease.
  • A CDC pediatrician joins this story to share steps people can take to help prevent tick bites and Lyme disease.

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Content Source:
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID)