People are mailing bloodthirsty ticks to a New York lab - Climate Connections

Summary4 min read

Episode Overview

Main Theme:
This episode focuses on the connection between climate change and the expanding risk of tick-borne diseases in the Northeastern United States. Host Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz discusses how rising temperatures and shifting wildlife patterns—fueled by global warming—are driving ticks into new areas and lengthening their active season. The episode spotlights a unique initiative where the public mails ticks they find to an upstate New York laboratory for testing, generating crucial data for both personal health and scientific research.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Ticks Arrive by Mail

Listener Engagement:
- Every summer, a large volume of tick samples arrives by mail at the upstate Tick Testing Lab at SUNY Upstate Medical University. These ticks were removed by people after time outdoors.
- [00:01]
  
  "During the summer, stacks of envelopes arrive at a lab in upstate New York. Inside are ticks that people pulled off their bodies after spending time outside." – Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz

Lab Operations and Public Health Value

How the Program Works:
- The lab examines each tick, identifying the species, life cycle stage, and any associated pathogens.
- [00:16]
  
  "And then we tell them what tick species it was, what life cycle stage it was, and what pathogen it carried." – Dr. Saravanan Tangamani
Public Health Impact:
- The lab sends test results back to individuals, providing information they can share with their doctors for informed medical decisions.
- [01:13]
  
  "So the lab gives people information they can share with their doctor." – Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz

Climate Change and Tick Expansion

Effects of Warming Temperatures:
- Tick populations are spreading into regions of the Northeast that were previously too cold. Warmer climates also prolong their seasonal activity.
- [00:23]
  
  "Tick populations are expanding in many parts of the Northeast, largely because of climate change. As temperatures warm, ticks can survive in some areas that were once too cold for them and stay active longer in the year." – Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz
Shifting Wildlife Patterns:
- Changing climate affects the geographic range of host animals (like deer and rodents), thus moving ticks into new areas alongside them.
- [00:48]
  
  "When these wildlife moves to a different geographic area, the ticks are carried along with them as swan." – Dr. Saravanan Tangamani

Testing Results and the Scale of the Problem

Volume of Data:
- Since 2019, more than 30,000 ticks have been tested, mostly from New York State.
- [00:54]
  
  "Since 2019, his team has tested more than 30,000 ticks, mostly from New York."
Prevalence of Pathogens:
- About one-third of samples tested positive for pathogens, including bacteria (Lyme disease), viruses (tick-borne encephalitis), and parasites (babesiosis).
- [00:54]
  
  "They found that about a third carried one or more pathogens, like the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, the virus that causes tick borne encephalitis, or the parasite that causes babesiosis." – Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz

Scientific and Community Benefits

Research Value:
- The lab’s work creates a real-time surveillance dataset, helping scientists monitor and track evolving tick and disease risks as the climate changes.
- [01:14]
  
  "And it also gives scientists data to track the changing risks as the climate warms." – Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz

Memorable Quotes

[00:23]

"Tick populations are expanding in many parts of the Northeast, largely because of climate change."
— Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz
[00:16]

"And then we tell them what tick species it was, what life cycle stage it was, and what pathogen it carried."
— Dr. Saravanan Tangamani
[00:54]

"Since 2019, his team has tested more than 30,000 ticks, mostly from New York. They found that about a third carried one or more pathogens…"
— Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz
[01:14]

"And it also gives scientists data to track the changing risks as the climate warms."
— Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz

Important Segment Timestamps

00:01 – Introduction to the tick testing lab and community involvement
00:16 – Explanation of the lab’s analysis and feedback to participants
00:23 – Discussion on climate-driven tick population expansion
00:48 – The role of wildlife in tick geographic spread
00:54 – Scale of the testing program and pathogen prevalence
01:13 – How results inform medical care
01:14 – Scientific tracking of emerging risks due to climate change

Takeaway

This episode underscores the real-world impact of climate change on public health, exemplified by the rapid increase in tick-borne diseases. Through public participation and scientific collaboration, the SUNY Upstate Tick Testing Lab is both empowering individuals and enhancing disease surveillance in the face of a warming climate.

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Transcript7 lines

[00:02]
A
I'm Dr. Anthony Liesiewicz, and this is Climate Connections. During the summer, stacks of envelopes arrive at a lab in upstate New York. Inside are ticks that people pulled off their bodies after spending time outside.
[00:17]
B
And then we tell them what tick species it was, what life cycle stage it was, and what pathogen it carried.
[00:24]
A
Saravanan Tangamani runs the upstate Tick testing laboratory at SUNY Upstate Medical University. He says tick populations are expanding in many parts of the Northeast, largely because of climate change. As temperatures warm, ticks can survive in some areas that were once too cold for them and stay active longer in the year. Climate change is also shifting the geographic range of some of the animals ticks feed on.
[00:48]
B
When these wildlife moves to a different geographic area, the ticks are carried along with them as swan.
[00:54]
A
Since 2019, his team has tested more than 30,000 ticks, mostly from New York. They found that about a third carried one or more pathogens, like the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, the virus that causes tick borne encephalitis, or the parasite that causes babesiosis. So the lab gives people information they can share with their
[01:14]
B
doctor.
[01:14]
A
And it also gives scientists data to track the changing risks as the climate warms. Climate Connections is produced by the Yale center for Environmental Communication. To learn more about climate change, visit climateconnections.org.