How do black-legged ticks manage to survive and persist through New Hampshire’s
winters, and what are the resulting implications for public health?
Join us for a discussion about Lyme and associated disease with Lyme disease
specialist Dr Lynn Durand MD, and Kathie Fife, Lyme ecologist and patient advocate.
Kathie will share her knowledge and experience as a patient, natural resource
specialist, and her legislative work advocating for better patient care and physician
education. Dr. Durand will talk about the challenges of diagnosis and treatment of
chronic Lyme disease and how folks can try to get appropriate treatment in a medical
system that still denies even the existence of chronic Lyme disease and tick-borne
infections.
In this one hour discussion we will learn the natural history and ecology of ticks and tickborne diseases. Why are tick populations and rates of tick-borne diseases increasing
every year? We will look at how forest and wildlife management, essential predators,
plants, and wildlife behavior play a significant role in human and ecosystem health.
Lyme disease is the number one vector-borne disease in America, so why are Lyme
and tick-borne infections often misdiagnosed?
This study, published two years ago, has been updated this month to reveal an increase in ticks infected with multiple pathogens. While tick spraying has an impact on reducing tick populations, it does not effectively decrease the incidence of infected ticks and human contact.
The video is an excellent resource that effectively communicates scientific concepts to a general audience. It is accessible and engaging, focusing primarily on the study.
Dr. Lynn Durand MD is a long time family physician in the Concord area having had a
primary care practice for 35 years which was focused on treating tick-borne
diseases. Dr. Durand has retired from his role as a primary care physician, now focusing
only on treating patients with chronic infectious problems like Lyme disease, other tick borne diseases as well as long COVID.
Kathie Fife is a Lyme and tick-borne disease ecologist and patient advocate living with
late stage vector-borne illnesses. This challenging health experience motivated her to
conduct extensive research to help others suffering with the diseases, including writing
a bill and testifying at the State House. In 2019 her Lyme disease testing bill was signed
into law by Governor Chris Sununu. Kathie shares her knowledge and experience at
presentations to encourage citizens to advocate and empower themselves with
knowledge, and to understand the important connection with wildlife and land use
management, essential predators, plants, and wildlife behavior for human and
ecosystem health.