Our tick nightmare

Summary of Our tick nightmare

by Vox

25m•July 23, 2026
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Overview of Our tick nightmare (Vox)

This episode of Today, Explained examines how ticks have become a fast-growing public health threat in the U.S.—spreading into new regions, carrying more diseases, and outpacing the country’s response. The conversation focuses on Lyme disease, alpha-gal syndrome (the red meat allergy caused by Lone Star ticks), climate change’s role in expanding tick season, and the surprising lack of serious tick-control infrastructure compared with mosquito control. It also explores Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s interest in Lyme disease and the mixed outlook for a new Lyme vaccine.

Key Points

Ticks are becoming a bigger national problem

  • Tick-borne illness is no longer just a Northeast issue.
  • Species like the Lone Star tick are spreading rapidly across the eastern U.S. and beyond.
  • Warmer winters are extending the season when ticks are active, increasing human exposure.

Tick-borne diseases are numerous and severe

The episode highlights how many illnesses ticks can transmit, including:

  • Lyme disease
  • Alpha-gal syndrome
  • Anaplasmosis
  • Babesiosis
  • Bourbon virus
  • Heartland virus
  • Powassan virus
  • Rocky Mountain spotted fever
  • Tularemia
  • Other rickettsial diseases

Symptoms can range from nausea and vomiting to seizures, paralysis, organ failure, and death.

Alpha-gal syndrome is a striking new danger

  • A New Jersey man’s death after a Lone Star tick bite brought attention to alpha-gal syndrome.
  • The condition can cause a delayed, life-threatening allergy to red meat and sometimes dairy.
  • It illustrates how ticks can cause severe, unexpected, and long-term health problems.

Why the U.S. Is Falling Behind

Public health response is minimal

  • About 90% of vector-borne disease cases in the U.S. come from ticks.
  • Yet local health agencies spend most of their effort on mosquito control, not tick control.
  • Only a small fraction of agencies do any serious tick-control work.

The country has tools, but not enough investment

Experts say there are promising strategies, but they are underfunded:

  • Deer-targeted control
  • Rodent or deer vaccines that would interrupt tick life cycles
  • Better surveillance and targeted public health action
  • More research into prevention and treatment

Climate change is making the problem worse

  • Milder winters mean more days when ticks can be active.
  • As habitats shift, ticks are expanding into new places where both the public and doctors may be less prepared.

RFK Jr., Lyme Disease, and the Vaccine Question

RFK Jr. has a personal connection to Lyme disease

  • He has publicly described having Lyme disease and seeing ticks on himself.
  • He says many of his children have also had it.
  • He has positioned himself as an advocate for people with chronic or lingering Lyme symptoms who feel ignored by medical institutions.

He supports research, but his stance on vaccines is unclear

  • Kennedy has promised to fight for better Lyme diagnostics and treatments.
  • The episode notes that he talks more about treatments than prevention.
  • A major open question is whether he will support a Lyme vaccine.

A new vaccine is in development

  • Pfizer has reported phase-three results for a Lyme vaccine and is moving toward regulatory review.
  • This comes after the earlier Lyme vaccine, Lymerix, was removed from the market years ago after weak sales, limited federal enthusiasm, and safety concerns that were later not supported by evidence.

Concerns remain among some patients

  • Many doctors and researchers are optimistic about a vaccine as part of the solution.
  • Some people with chronic Lyme remain skeptical because of the legacy of the first vaccine.

Practical Advice for People Going Outdoors

What the episode recommends

  • Do thorough tick checks after being outside.
  • Put clothes in the dryer; ticks are vulnerable to heat.
  • Consider permethrin-treated clothing or gear for hikes and outdoor work.
  • Stay vigilant, especially in wooded, grassy, or suburban areas with deer activity.

Bottom Line

The episode argues that ticks are becoming a bigger, more dangerous, and more geographically widespread problem—and that the U.S. is still treating them too casually. While there are promising tools for prevention and control, experts say the country needs more funding, more coordination, and stronger public health action if it wants to stop “tick nightmare” from getting worse.