Energy & Climate
Climate change driving surge in tick-borne diseases across US Northeast region
The Checkup with Doctor Mike
I Was Wrong About My Patient's 103° Fever
"Tick-spread illnesses are on the rise in the US. Why? Summers are hotter, are longer, springs are earlier, winters are milder, so there's less tick die-off. So ticks are more present and are spreading more readily. Part of this is due to climate change because of this weather cycle that we're experiencing."
A practicing physician in the Northeast reports that tick-borne illnesses like anaplasmosis are increasing due to climate change creating longer warm seasons and milder winters that reduce tick die-off rates. The doctor's recent diagnostic case illustrated how these diseases are becoming more common and harder to diagnose, with anaplasmosis presenting alongside other infections. The warning comes as tick populations expand and disease vectors multiply.
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The Checkup with Doctor Mike