Why are ticks making us sick?
Fossilized ticks well over 100 million years old reflect the fact that ticks have been on earth longer than humans. In the past few decades tick populations have exploded and the percentage of ticks which are infected has risen dramatically.
One reason numbers of ticks are increasing is increasing numbers of deer. It has been estimated that throughout the United States there were 500,000 deer in 1900 and now there are 30,000,000 deer. This massive increase (60X) in the number of deer hosts has greatly increased the number of deer ticks. The vast increase in the number of deer has been attributed to suburban sprawl. Lawns and landscape plantings are like feed lots for deer. Deer control by hunting is a questionable method. Unless carefully planned hunting deer can backfire and aggravate the problem.
But, even if the deer population could be reduced instantly by 90% that would not significantly reduce the population of infected ticks. Blood hosts for 50% of ticks, and for 90% of infected ticks are small mammals such as white-footed mice, eastern chipmunks, short tailed shrews, masked shrews and American robins. Also there are mammals medium-size moderately efficient reservoirs of infected blood such as raccoons, opossums, skunks, foxes and others.
We need to do more to protect ourselves
The rise in numbers of cases of tick-borne infections in humans throughout the United States can be reversed. We don't know all the answers, but we know enough to take actions.