US travel advisory-250% rise in mosquitoes, fleas and ticks in the past three years

Thursday, May 3, 2018

As per an official report, ‘Malaria and yellow fever are no longer transmitted in the United States but have the potential to be reintroduced.

An increase range of health hazards was faced by the British visitors to the US from mosquitoes, fleas and ticks along with an increase of 250 percent in disease in the last 13 years.

The Centers of Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta warned of rising threat from the emerging vector-born disease.

Between 2004 and 2016 a team of researchers led by Dr Ronald Rosenberg studied more than 640,000 cases and concluded that the mosquito borne disease epidemics happen more frequently.

In Florida, Hawaii and Texas locally transmitted cases of dengue fever were reported and  the symptoms included high fever, muscle and joint pains, headache and nausea.

According to NHS Travel  Health Pro service, the number of reported cases of dengue in UK travellers has been increasing.

Outbreaks of Zika ( a mosquito born virus with symptom similar to dengue fever) has been reported in Florida and Texas.

The disease is life threatening and if a pregnant woman contract the virus they will be prone to pass it to the fetus causing microcephaly (a condition where the baby’s brain is not fully developed).

A range of insects has been expanding covering upto 38 US states.

Chikungunya is also a major health problem, spreading in Florida and Texas but it is rarely fatal and causes joint and muscle pains, headaches and skin rashes.

It was reported by CDC that Malaria and yellow fever are no longer transmitted in the United States but have the potential to be reintroduced.

« Back to Page