opinion
Do not link Maine Lyme disease increase with climate change
Posted May 16, 2011
Regarding "Confronting health issues of climate change" (link): Your editorial is without factual basis.
Any change in Lyme disease incidence in Maine is likely the result of changes in deer density, better awareness by physicians, and better reporting to the Dept. of Public Health. The impact of local weather on deer tick populations can indeed be great: Hot and dry weather accelerates nymphal tick mortality and leads to fewer Lyme disease cases. Lack of snow (which insulates) exposes adult ticks to cold-related mortality. Thus, any "warming" would probably lead to less Lyme disease overall.
Sam R. Telford III, ScD, North Grafton, Mass.
Editor's note: Telford is a professor of infectious diseases at Tufts University.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2011/05/16/edlt0516.htm.
