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The Truth About Ticks: How Vector-Borne Diseases Can Affect Humans

In the United States, 77% of vector-borne diseases are transmitted by ticks, and numbers have increased dramatically in recent decades. While Lyme disease may be the most common in the country, with an estimated 475,000 new cases each year, there are many other vector-borne diseases affecting people every day. Information is constantly shifting related to current and predicted changes in the epidemiology of tick-borne diseases, age-specific clinical and laboratory manifestations, and treatment. In addition, there are many public misconceptions regarding vector-borne infections.

Listen to our pediatric expert discuss tick-borne diseases

In this episode of Charting Pediatrics, infectious disease expert Lourdes Eguiguren, MD, joins us to dispel the myths of tick-borne infections and discusses the importance of a correct diagnosis using appropriate testing guidelines and recommendations.  

Dr. Eguiguren specializes in vector-borne diseases at Children’s Nebraska and is an assistant professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. 

In this episode, our expert discusses:

  • Key details about Lyme disease  
  • Tick-borne disease transmission 
  • Stages of disease and progression of symptoms 
  • Lyme disease serology testing and diagnosis guidelines 
  • The impact of climate change on tick prevalence 
  • Misconceptions about vector-borne infections  
  • Available treatment options, including doxycycline 

Listen here or on your podcast platform of choice, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts.

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