The Effectiveness and Implementation of 4-Poster Deer Self-Treatment Devices for Tick-borne Disease Prevention

In the last decade, the reported incidence of tick-borne disease has increased significantly in the United States.1, 2 Climate change is projected to alter the geographic and seasonal distribution of existing vectors and risk of vector-borne diseases.3 Resilient public health preparedness efforts and climate adaptation plans could mitigate the anticipated change in tick-borne disease risk. Health departments and other local jurisdictions have a variety of options available to combat the spread of tick-borne illness. Assessing public health interventions, Step 3 of CDC’s Building Resilience Against Climate Effects (BRACE) framework,4 is a necessary step before choosing an intervention strategy. This document seeks to provide guidance on one potential intervention activity, and provides a summary of peer-reviewed and grey literature to determine the effectiveness of the 4-Poster self-treatment bait station device for controlling tick populations among white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) hosts. Procedures for implementation of the 4-Poster device, occupational health and safety guidelines, and other considerations relating to 4-Poster device usage that may impact effectiveness are discussed.