Human activities increase tick-borne disease risk in eastern U.S. and California

Human activities have increased the risk of tick-borne diseases like Lyme by altering forest habitats and human proximity to them. Changes in land use, such as deforestation and subsequent reforestation, have led to increased deer populations, which are primary hosts for ticks carrying Lyme disease. This has made areas like the eastern U.S. hotspots for the illness. In California, fragmented landscapes from urban sprawl create isolated green spaces where ticks and their rodent hosts thrive, increasing disease transmission. Historically, efforts to control cattle fever also highlight how human management of environments impacts tick-borne disease.