Efforts to combat the rising threat of tick-borne illnesses in the United States highlight the growing public health challenge posed by mosquitoes and ticks, yet experts warn that government investment remains insufficient. Despite a surge in diseases like Lyme and alpha-gal syndrome, which are transmitted by ticks, funding for prevention and control measures has not kept pace with the expanding risk.
In 2019, Congress enacted the bipartisan Kay Hagan Tick Act, named after the late North Carolina senator who died from Powassan virus complications. The legislation authorized funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to establish regional research centers and support local health departments in monitoring and educating the public about tick-borne diseases. The act is currently pending reauthorization in the House of Representatives with a proposed funding level of $27 million—a figure many experts consider inadequate given the scale of the problem.
“The funding is not getting any better even though the problem is getting worse,” said Laura Harrington, a Cornell University entomologist who directs a CDC research center. She emphasized the urgent need for diversified control strategies to address the increasing incidence and geographic spread of tick-related illnesses.
The health and economic impacts of tick-borne diseases are substantial. A 2022 study by Yale University and the CDC estimated that Lyme disease alone might cost society up to $1 billion annually. Chronic symptoms resulting from infections can cause long-term disability, affecting millions of Americans, including outdoor workers, hikers, and hunters. Researchers argue that new interventions, such as vaccines targeting not only humans but also animal hosts like deer and rodents, could be cost-effective in the long run.
Experts advocate for expanded public-private partnerships to encourage pharmaceutical companies to invest in vaccine development and insecticides. Increased CDC leadership is needed to promote comprehensive tick control at state and local levels, targeting both public and private spaces where ticks and their animal hosts proliferate.
Alongside technological solutions, scientists highlight the importance of environmental management. Altering land-use policies to reduce fragmented habitats and support predators such as foxes and martens, which have been shown to lower tick populations, could mitigate disease spread. Additionally, modified zoning laws might prevent increased human exposure to ticks by limiting contact with host wildlife.
Public education remains a critical tool. Better awareness campaigns are necessary to inform people about protective measures and help clinicians recognize less common tick-borne illnesses like babesiosis and the emerging alpha-gal syndrome—an allergic reaction triggered by lone star tick bites that causes some individuals to develop meat and dairy allergies. Dr. Thomas Platts-Mills of the University of Virginia, who discovered the link between the lone star tick and alpha-gal syndrome, stresses that the condition can be managed with dietary adjustments and that its severity may diminish over time.
Recent federal initiatives suggest a cautious shift toward addressing the problem more seriously. In May, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a goal to reduce Lyme disease cases by 25 percent by 2035. The plan includes modest funding for tick control, clinical research into new treatments, and CDC pilot projects aimed at reducing tick populations on wildlife before transmission to humans.
While this initiative marks progress, experts note that the scale of investment and coordinated response remains far from the comprehensive campaigns of the past, such as the mid-20th century drive to eradicate malaria in the U.S. The current climate of skepticism toward scientific expertise poses additional challenges for mobilizing sustained political will.
As tick populations expand across North America, the threat they pose to public health becomes increasingly difficult to ignore. Researchers and public health officials warn that without enhanced funding, innovative research, and broader policy changes, the country faces a growing epidemic that could deeply affect millions and strain healthcare resources for years to come.