The Brian Lehrer Show An Abundance of Ticks
Jul 2, 2025
Thomas Daniels, a research scientist in vector ecology and director of the Louis Calder Center, sheds light on the alarming rise in tick populations, with a perfect 10 risk level this summer. He discusses practical outdoor strategies to avoid ticks and shares insights into Lyme disease, particularly the tricky nature of nymph ticks. Daniels also addresses the challenges of tick removal and the hurdles in developing a human vaccine for Lyme disease, while highlighting the health risks tied to the growing Lone Star tick population.
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Tick Risk Peaks Mid-Summer
- The tick risk index peaks mid-summer indicating more ticks and infection risk than spring or fall.
- The Fordham lab has decades of data tracking tick activity, enabling accurate public health warnings.
Nymph Ticks Are Lyme Disease Drivers
- Nymph ticks are smaller, harder to spot, and cause most Lyme disease cases.
- About 25-30% of these nymphs are infected, making them the primary Lyme disease transmitters.
Quick Proper Tick Removal
- Use sharp tweezers to grab a tick as close to the skin as possible and pull straight out.
- Removing the tick promptly is critical; broken mouthparts left behind will be dealt with by your immune system.