![]() ![]() First COVID-19, Now Mosquitoes: Bracing for Bug-borne Ills They also study green spaces and urban corridors to understand the role of animals’ movements in proliferating tick cases. By using a " Tick App" they designed, the lab collects data on human tick encounters to further understand how human behavioral patterns can lead to tick exposure. They investigate the complex ecosystem that links local wildlife and ticks, as well as the role of humans within it to understand how humans come to be exposed to ticks. The lab conducts research on ticks in Staten Island, given that it has the highest tick prevalence out of all the New York City boroughs, in part due to its high population of deer. According to Professor Maria Diuk-Wasser, Principal Investigator at the Columbia Eco-Epidemiology lab, “People can be exposed in their backyards while doing gardening or when they go to a natural area." This is because ticks can be found in wooded areas with high grass or leaf litter, common to yards and suburban green spaces. New research from a lab at Columbia University has found that during the pandemic, New York City residents were using outdoor spaces like backyards and parks more frequently, leading to a 30% increase in tick exposure. The black-legged tick is a common species of tick found in New York, one in four of which are infected with Lyme disease, so poses a risk.īat Tick Found for the First Time in NJ Could Pose Health Risks to Humans, Animals Whilst most ticks are harmless to humans, some have the potential to infect outdoor-goers with ailments like Lyme disease, which in serious cases, can cause paralysis and chronic fatigue. According to the NYS Department of Health, the increase in cases can be blamed on several factors the rising temperatures caused by climate change, reforestation efforts which have led to larger deer populations and increased human exposure. In fact, between 20, the number of annual reports of tickborne diseases nearly doubled. Ticks have been steadily increasing in the United States in recent years. Yet, alongside the sunshine and fresh air comes the risk of ticks, which has been made more prevalent by the COVID-19 pandemic. With the warmer spring months on the horizon and the fatigue of staying indoors reaching its peak, New Yorkers will inevitably soon start to flock to outdoor spaces. The 'Tick App' developed by researchers at Columbia University helps collect data on tick encounters.During the pandemic, New Yorkers increased usage of outdoor spaces elevated tick exposure by 30%.Ticks and tickborne diseases have been steadily increasing in the United States in recent years. ![]()
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