Published June 22, 2026 02:20 pm
When someone got bitten by a tick at her cousin’s wedding in Arkansas, public health researcher Ellie Fawcett knew there was a problem. Not only the tick, which Fawcett easily identified as the American dog tick, a species known to carry diseases such as tularemia (aka rabbit fever) and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, but also the reaction to the tiny parasite.
One guest went in search of a lighter to remove the tick, an ill-advised and dangerous folk remedy. Another was concerned that a tick-carrier would not be able to eat the steak being served at the reception. (allergic to red meat known as alpha-gal syndrome A tick bite can develop after a bite, but it’s caused by a different species, the Lone Star tick, and won’t happen so quickly.) Although Fawcett successfully removed the insect with a bridesmaid’s false eyelash Applicator, she was inundated with bad information about it.
This was not the first time she had been exposed to the fear and false treatment fueled by misinformation about disease-carrying species such as mosquitoes and ticks, which are known to be vectors. But this time, she was inspired to do something about it.
Last year, Faucet launched vector guardAn app that links together public health data and disease-carrying insects to provide a risk assessment based on your location. Designed as a “one-stop shop for all things vector,” the app also provides the latest information on how to safely prevent and treat bites. And with vector-borne diseases and misinformation about them on the rise across the United States, it’s not coming any time soon.
Why are tick and mosquito diseases on the rise?
Between 2004 and 2018, the number of vector-borne diseases recorded in the United States more than double Approximately 760,000 cases annually. In April 2026, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced That weekly rate of emergency room visits for tick bites was the highest at that time of year in nearly a decade.
Most of this is growth linked to climate change. As winters become warmer and summers become longer, rising temperatures increase the rate of reproduction of ticks and mosquitoes, leading to population growth.
“But ecology matters at least as much,” said Jake Scott, a professor of infectious diseases at Stanford University School of Medicine. Outside. especially in the northeastWhere rates of tick-borne diseases are highest, decades of reforestation combined with suburbanization have directly linked people to high-risk areas, he says. “We redesigned the landscape in ways that are absolutely suitable for ticks,” he says, “and then we moved in next door.”
As ticks, mosquitoes, and the diseases they carry reach more people and places, there has been a concurrent increase in a separate but related threat: misinformation.
Misconceptions about bug-borne infections
During graduate school, while studying Lone Star ticks, Fawcett often interacted with passersby during field research and noticed a disturbing trend.
“Many people I spoke to were concerned about ticks, but there were a lot of misconceptions about their actual risk,” she said. Outside. While attempting to point people toward more truthful sources of information, Fawcett realized that those dense, jargon-filled sources themselves may be part of the problem. As a result, Fawcett has found that people gravitate toward less reputable but less intimidating videos and posts on social media.
Current research supports the extent to which social media may be responsible. A 2025 study found that only 15 of the top 100 TikTok videos about alpha-gal syndrome were created by physicians. One Analysis Tick-related posts in several Facebook groups were found to be filled with misinformation, from claims that all tick species can transmit Lyme to posts promoting ineffective alternative insect repellents. Other studies have found similar misinformation on mosquitoes.
Scott says self-diagnosis of Lyme disease has increased in recent years due to misinformation, along with unproven tests and treatments. Of what he sees in his clinic, he said, “Patients with real, debilitating symptoms whose actual diagnosis, sometimes cancer, sometimes a treatable autoimmune disease, are missed while everyone else chases Lyme.”
While people who are diagnosed with a disease or are medically astray are the most vulnerable victims of misinformation, others suffer more subtly. Some people post on social media that they are so scared of some disease that they stop going out. “I love hiking every summer, but apparently it’s terrible this season, with many ticks spreading alpha-gal, Lyme, and other diseases as well,” reads A recent Reddit post. “I may stop hiking in the near future.”
While experts agree some precautions are appropriate, they say it shouldn’t stop people from getting out. For one thing, most diseases remain relatively rare. (there is one to three percent chance Someone can get Lyme after being bitten by a deer tick.) “Online makes every tick bite sound like tossing a coin with a chronic disease,” Scott said. “Real biology is more forgiving.” Additionally, they emphasize that there are straightforward ways to have fun responsibly.
How to use the Vector Guard app and enjoy the outdoors safely
The best way to stay safe outdoors is to be aware of the risks wherever you are. This is where Vector Guard comes in. When you download and open the app (which is free), you get a heatmap for your location that uses user- and scientist-generated visualizations Global Biodiversity Information Facility To tell which vectors are observed around you. It can identify more than 50 types of insect species, including bed bugs.
Although the app does not provide professional medical advice, clicking on a listed species displays your relative risk based on the prevalence of the disease in your area. And if you find a tick or mosquito, you can take a photo in the app or compare it to verified images for instant identification.
Even in high-risk areas, simple preventative measures listed in the app can help keep you safe, like wearing long sleeves and pants, using bug repellent, and checking your body for ticks after being outside.
If you find yourself wasting away on vector-borne disease TikTok, Scott says the best thing to do might be to unplug, take some precautions, and go outside. “Don’t let the algorithm decide how afraid you should be of a hike.”
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