posted
I'm curious about the Bb origin theories. But I don't understand the assumptions behind them.
Contrary to the Plum Island theory, this one suggests that Bb has been in North America for a LONG time, but only recently has gotten more contact with humans.
According to this line of thinking, what changed?
urbanization? exploding deer populations?
What used to keep Bb in check that is now missing?
Posts: 227 | From Northern CA (bitten in Illinois) | Registered: Jan 2008
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adamm
Unregistered
posted
Oh, I don't doubt that it's been here for a long time--it's just that that doesn't by any means imply that it wasn't weaponized.
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posted
I read that there are records suggesting that at least some native Americans suffered with Lyme. No doubt the sweat lodges helped to keep the bugs at bay. They also used fasting and herbs.
-------------------- Just because it' s not nice doesn' t mean it' s not miraculous. --Terry Pratchett Posts: 121 | From Nazareth, PA | Registered: May 2008
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MariaA
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9128
posted
"they" also heavily modified their surroundings, at least in the Eastern Woodlands. Early Europeans reported that the woodlands looked like parkland because of the widespread practice of burning underbrush, which came to an end with European conquest.
By the end of the 19th century, some Northeastern areas had extremely heavy deforestation, further changing the environment and the species that flourished (mice to deer ratio for instance). After that, deer were much more rare in the Northeast until second-growth reforestation came back to some areas in the last few decades. If I recall right, Pam Weintraub's book says that deer were completely stamped out in parts of NY and CT until they were reintroduced from some of the nearby islands not too long before the first 'known' Lyme cases started appearing.
I'm sure this has something to do with differences in the prevalence of Lyme between the rise of "modern" medicine in the end of the 19th century (and therefore the likelyhood of having historical descriptions of the disease come down to us) and the 1970's when cases started rising in the Northeast.
-------------------- Symptom Free!!! Thank you all!!!!
lpkayak
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5230
posted
hurricanes
-------------------- Lyme? Its complicated. Educate yourself. Posts: 13712 | From new england | Registered: Feb 2004
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dmc
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5102
posted
Maria A has the most reasonable "theory". Also most of these lands were farmed.
Ticks don't like open areas. That's why parents and schools are told to move playscapes at least 9 feet from wooded areas.
Posts: 2675 | From ct, usa | Registered: Jan 2004
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posted
Even where they didn't burn underbrush, the trees were so old and the canopy so thick that little more than mosses and lichens could live in the forest. I've been to virgin forest where it's still like that.
-------------------- Just because it' s not nice doesn' t mean it' s not miraculous. --Terry Pratchett Posts: 121 | From Nazareth, PA | Registered: May 2008
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