2018-06-12
Well, well.
It was a couple days after my
last post that I saw and read this article on how climate change has made
Maine the epicenter of tick prevention and Lyme disease.
The first
line of the article is enough to warn and would be wood wanderer of the
danger of unprotected walking.
“The arrival of spring this year
brought a explosion of ticks across Maine and, with it, a surge in
tick-borne diseases. Conservation groups are warning that the milder
winters, earlier springs, and hotter summers that signal a changing
climate are also making the state even more hospitable to the
blood-sucking parasites.” (Maine Epicenter)
[http://mainebeacon.com/thanks-to-climate-change-experts-say-maine-now-the-epicenter-of-lyme-disease-epidemic/]
While
it’s nice to know that I was in the know before the article was
published, it also shows that anyone working in the woods or field must be
aware of the dangers that ticks present.
Climate change? Yes,
the scientists are right. And yes, those of us who can notice
changes are right. Climate change is real. We need the
scientists to tell us, and we have to verify the impact.
I can
verify. This is real.
And I’m never an alarmist, but this is
alarming
“Tony Owens, an attending physician at Maine Medical
Center, said the prevalence of Lyme disease in Maine is higher than the
rest of the country, making the state the “epicenter of this endemic
problem.”
The concern isn’t just Lyme disease. Cases of
anaplasmosis, which Owens described as “the second most common
tick-borne disease,” have also increased in Maine. Both anaplasmosis and
Lyme disease cause fever and fatigue, but anaplasmosis doesn’t cause the
trademark bull’s eye rash of Lyme disease.
“It’s more serious
to have a case of anaplasmosis at Maine Medical Center than it is to have
a heart attack,” Owens said. “Your survival is better with a heart
attack than it is with anaplasmosis.”
Bottom line.. be careful
where you walk.
OH, and PS... Anyone notice those caterpillars????