CDC Press Release excerpt: “The mounting costs of an epidemic of Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) among several American Indian tribes in Arizona suggests that prevention and control efforts would be cost effective. A recent study released by experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Indian Health Service (IHS), in partnership with Arizona tribes, describes an estimated $13.2 million in losses linked to the epidemic of RMSF between 2002 and 2011, on two Indian reservations. Cost estimates include medical costs, time off work, and loss of lifetime productivity due to early death. These values underestimate the actual cost of the epidemic because long-term losses from disability and expensive medical procedures are not included. Preventing tick bites is the most important step in preventing severe illness and death from RMSF. CDC, IHS, state, and tribal governments are working together to develop effective prevention programs to gain control of this devastating epidemic”.

Read the entire CDC Press Release

Our take: Get TickSmart To Prevent Tickborne Disease!

This newly released CDC study provides some of the best objective evidence yet about the positive impact prevention can have on people’s lives. Our mission at TickEncounter is all about prevention, prevention, prevention. It’s true that effective community-based tickborne disease prevention programs cost money but, as concluded in this RMSF study, the medical expenses and lives lost cost four times more than the prevention efforts. Tick control, education and awareness keeps people safe–EVERYDAY– from tick bites and tickborne diseases. Ask yourself these two questions: Is your town a TickSmart town? What are you doing to protect yourself, your family, and your pets from tickborne disease?

Brown dog ticks infest homes! Don’t let them infest YOUR home!