Posted by Lauri Segel on March 12, 2003 at 19:04:48:
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-----Original Message-----
From: Evan Manvel [mailto:evan@friends.org]
Subject: wouldn't have thought of this argument
Here's a unique argument against sprawl.Copyright holder is
http://www.the-scientist.com/yr2003/mar/research3_030310.htmlSuburban Sprawl Could Increase Lyme Disease Infections A recent study
suggests that suburban sprawl leading to forest fragmentation could also
increase the prevalence of ixodid ticks infected with Borrelia burgdorferi,
the spirochaete bacterium that causes Lyme disease (K. LoGiudice et al.,
"The ecology of infectious disease: Effects of host diversity and community
composition on Lyme disease risk," Proc Nat Acad Sci, 100:567-71, Jan. 21,
2003). Ixodid ticks become infected as nymphs by taking a blood meal from an
infected animal, especially from the white-footed mouse, Peromyscus
leucopus.
To devise a model for the presence of Borrelia-infected ticks, the
researchers sampled bird and mammalian hosts, counting how many
blood-engorged tick larvae fell off each animal. They then determined how
many larvae were infected. Using these and other data, researchers
constructed a mathematical model of the effects of biodiversity on tick
infestations. The model suggests that in habitats where there are more
potential species of tick hosts, tick larvae are less likely to become
infected because some of these hosts have low-reservoir competence; that is,
even if bitten by an infected tick, the species either is unlikely to become
infected or unable to pass on the infection."Forest fragmentation," the authors noted, "decreases mammalian biodiversity
and results in areas of very high mouse density." Kathleen LoGiudice of
Union College in Schenectady, NY, says "sprawling development ... may be
increasing our exposure to Lyme and similar vector-borne diseases.
Biodiversity can have some very real implications for our health and quality
of life."--4258974-2295726080-3256484680=:9001
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class=537552401-13032003>fyisize=2>-----Original Message-----Here's a unique argument against sprawl.
From: Evan Manvel
[mailto:evan@friends.org]
face=Tahoma>Subject: wouldn't have thought of this
argument
Copyright holder is
href="http://www.the-scientist.com/yr2003/mar/research3_030310.html">http://www.the-scientist.com/yr2003/mar/research3_030310.html
Suburban
Sprawl Could Increase Lyme Disease Infections A recent study suggests that
suburban sprawl leading to forest fragmentation could also increase the
prevalence of ixodid ticks infected with Borrelia burgdorferi, the
spirochaete bacterium that causes Lyme disease (K. LoGiudice et al., "The
ecology of infectious disease: Effects of host diversity and community
composition on Lyme disease risk," Proc Nat Acad Sci, 100:567-71, Jan.
21, 2003). Ixodid ticks become infected as nymphs by taking a blood meal from an
infected animal, especially from the white-footed mouse, Peromyscus leucopus.To devise a model for the presence of Borrelia-infected ticks, the
researchers sampled bird and mammalian hosts, counting how many blood-engorged
tick larvae fell off each animal. They then determined how many larvae were
infected. Using these and other data, researchers constructed a mathematical
model of the effects of biodiversity on tick infestations. The model suggests
that in habitats where there are more potential species of tick hosts, tick
larvae are less likely to become infected because some of these hosts have
low-reservoir competence; that is, even if bitten by an infected tick, the
species either is unlikely to become infected or unable to pass on the
infection."Forest fragmentation," the authors noted, "decreases mammalian biodiversity
and results in areas of very high mouse density." Kathleen LoGiudice of Union
College in Schenectady, NY, says "sprawling development ... may be increasing
our exposure to Lyme and similar vector-borne diseases. Biodiversity can have
some very real implications for our health and quality of life."
--4258974-2295726080-3256484680=:9001--