When temperatures would rise from 74 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, brown dog ticks that carry the disease have a higher chance of preferring humans over dogs.
Climate change may not have only affected the physical environment but even the tiniest creatures that many may not have been mindful of may also feel the difference. A recent study showed that ticks that carry a deadly disease may also be shifting their preferences towards humans.
Recent research from the University of California showed that ticks carrying the deadly Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) could turn and feed on humans instead of dogs due to the rising temperatures. The findings were presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. According to researchers, this is a bad sign of how climate change and the rise in temperatures could increase the risk of people contracting illnesses borne by ticks.
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