Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is the deadliest tick-transmitted disease in the United States. It affects dogs and people — especially children — and for decades has ravaged southwestern Native American lands.

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is mostly spread by ticks living in woodland, but in desert areas it’s spread by the brown dog tick. Because reservations often have dogs that live around kids, a perfect storm has been raging.

That is, until community-led teams grew public awareness, sprayed around homes and provided tick collars for dogs. Ticks have all but vanished in these areas, and fatality rates of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever have plummeted.

One Health is more than a concept linking animal, human and environmental health. It’s key to saving lives.