If you’re a dog, you’ve got lots of options for protecting yourself against Lyme disease, an often devastating illness spread by deer ticks. But us humans are out of luck because we don’t have a vaccine – at least not anymore.
A warming climate has health officials worried that tick populations are already spreading, bringing with them the germs that can lead to Lyme disease.
Winter haters in some parts of Canada got a major break this year, with one of the mildest seasons in memory.
But as we head towards summer, there may be a price to pay for the lack of the frigid temperatures a few months back.
The mild winter this year could increase the number of Lyme cases. Adult ticks have been active earlier than usual and people have been getting outside sooner than they typically do, increasing the exposure season.
Researchers who spent three years dragging sheets of fabric through the woods to snag ticks have created a detailed map they claim could improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease.
