Tséhootsooí doctor warns of summer rise in tick-borne, mosquito illnesses
WINDOW ROCK
As temperatures climb on the Navajo Nation, ticks, fleas and mosquitoes are bringing a seasonal rise in illnesses that can turn serious if not recognized early.
Dr. Alithea Gabrellas, an infectious diseases physician at Tséhootsooí Medical Center, said the Fort Defiance-area hospital sees a predictable increase in vector-borne illnesses once spring turns to summer.
Ticks can spread Rocky Mountain spotted fever, fleas on wild rodents can carry plague, and mosquitoes can transmit West Nile virus. All three illnesses are diagnosed and treated on the Navajo Nation with some regularity, said Gabrellas.
“We do see all of these infections go up during the summer months,” Gabrellas said.
Tick-borne illness can turn deadly
Rocky Mountain spotted fever is the tick-borne illness of greatest concern locally.
To read the full article, please see the June 4, 2026, edition of the Navajo Times.
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