Beth Kirkpatrick, M.D., professor of microbiology and molecular genetics at the Larner College of Medicine, was featured in an article in AOL about bugbites that are more than just itchy—they can make you seriously sick.

While trends can ebb and flow, there’s “absolutely” an uptick in insect-borne diseases, says Dr. Kirkpatrick, an infectious disease doctor at the University of Vermont Medical Center. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cases more than doubled between 2001 and 2023. And in warmer months, your risk of getting an insect-borne illness from mosquitoes, ticks, fleas and other bugs rises.

Also growing: the threat of getting bitten by an insect carrying multiple, different disease-causing germs. An Ecosphere study that came out in 2025 showed that approximately 1 in 10 juvenile deer ticks in the Northeast U.S. carry two or more different disease-causing pathogens.

Pay attention to alerts from your local and state health departments, as they will know which bug-borne pathogens are the biggest threat in your area, Kirkpatrick advises. If you are bitten and start to feel off or experience specific symptoms, be sure to alert your doctor.

Read full story at AARP

This story was also covered by AOL.