Ticks, birds and Lyme disease–it’s complicated
An article in Entomology Today explains how even ticks who don’t bite humans–including one called I. affinis–play a role in the spread of Lyme disease.
By Meredith Swett Walker, Nov. 23, 2015:
Although I. affinis doesn’t bite humans, it is the “primary maintenance vector” of B. burgdorferi in the southeastern U.S. Like the blacklegged tick, immature I. affinis feed on birds and rodents, and adults feed on larger mammals like deer. So while I. affinis can’t infect humans with B. burgdorferi, it can spread it amongst the wild animal population and increase the reservoir of the pathogen. READ MORE.
That’s why the CDC’s recommendation to test only people from endemic areas makes no sense. The disease is spreading across the country. Test everyone with symptoms.
Unfortunately, some states that are not considered endemic use the CDC guidelines as a way to get out of admitting the disease is in their state.
I BELIEVE YOU ARE RIGHT i LIVE IN THE POCONOS OF pa DOZENS OF DEER IN OUR YARD ALL THE TIME. WE NOW HAVE IT SPREAD TWICE A YEAR. HOWEVER LAST YEAR I WAITED TO LONG & GOT BIT AN MD & PA BOTH MISDIAGNOSED IT. MY FRIENDS THAT HAVE DEGREES IN ALL OF THESE DX MY RASH EM A LYME’S RASH [NOT EVERYONE GETS THE RASH NOT A BULLS EYE] UNFORTUNATELY THE INSURANCE COMPANIES ETC DO NOT WANT TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM IT ALL REVOLVES ABOUT MONEY.