Peace Voyager
02-22-2011, 07:34 AM
:waccosun:
Lizard, tick, Lyme disease study yields surprise
David Perlman, Chronicle Science Editor
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
MORE BAY AREA NEWS
Paul Chinn / SFC
Western fence lizards prey on millions of ticks, some of which carry the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. But the ticks feed on the lizards' blood, which carries a protein that kills the disease-causing bacteria.
Lizards, ticks and Lyme disease can be a serious combination, but some old ideas about their relationship may be falling by the wayside.
The tiny black-legged ticks, abundant throughout the woods of Northern California, carry microbes that can cause Lyme disease in humans they bite. The common Western fence lizards eat those ticks by the millions.
Wherever the lizards abound, the population of disease-carrying ticks would be low. That's what scientists have believed. And the smaller the tick population, the lower the risk of Lyme disease.
Fewer lizards should result in more of the dangerous ticks.
Western fence lizards carry a protein in their blood that kills
the Borrelia bacteria, which cause Lyme disease. When the ticks feed on the lizards' blood, the protein cleanses their bodies of the bacteria...
https://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/02/22/BABR1HNDG6.DTL
Lizard, tick, Lyme disease study yields surprise
David Perlman, Chronicle Science Editor
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
MORE BAY AREA NEWS
Paul Chinn / SFC
Western fence lizards prey on millions of ticks, some of which carry the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. But the ticks feed on the lizards' blood, which carries a protein that kills the disease-causing bacteria.
Lizards, ticks and Lyme disease can be a serious combination, but some old ideas about their relationship may be falling by the wayside.
The tiny black-legged ticks, abundant throughout the woods of Northern California, carry microbes that can cause Lyme disease in humans they bite. The common Western fence lizards eat those ticks by the millions.
Wherever the lizards abound, the population of disease-carrying ticks would be low. That's what scientists have believed. And the smaller the tick population, the lower the risk of Lyme disease.
Fewer lizards should result in more of the dangerous ticks.
Western fence lizards carry a protein in their blood that kills
the Borrelia bacteria, which cause Lyme disease. When the ticks feed on the lizards' blood, the protein cleanses their bodies of the bacteria...
https://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/02/22/BABR1HNDG6.DTL