Lyme

The First Epidemic of Climate Change

By: Mary Beth Pfeiffer

Narrated by: Randye Kaye

Length: 9 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

Lyme disease is spreading rapidly around the globe as ticks move into places they could not survive before. The first epidemic to emerge in the era of climate change, the disease infects half a million people in the US and Europe each year, and untold multitudes in Canada, China, Russia, and Australia. Mary Beth Pfeiffer shows how we have contributed to this growing menace and how modern medicine has underestimated its danger. She tells the heart-rending stories of families destroyed by a single tick bite, of children disabled, and of one woman's tragic choice after an exhaustive search for a cure.

Pfeiffer also warns of the emergence of other tick-borne illnesses that make Lyme more difficult to treat and pose their own grave risks. Lyme is an impeccably researched account of an enigmatic disease, making a powerful case for action to fight ticks, heal patients, and recognize humanity's role in a modern scourge.

©2018 Mary Beth Pfeiffer (P)2018 Tantor

important topic, exhaustively reported

I loved this listen. It's good science writing. The story has a clear narrative and systematically explores the topic. In order to examine the issue of tick-borne illnesses, the author takes us through microbiology, immunology, ecology, climate change, medicine, medical politics, biotech engineering, and the heartfelt stories of people suffering from disease. I couldn't put it down and learned so much. I have been vaguely aware of some controversy around Lyme disease and this book clarified many of my questions. The author states her opinion explicitly, and then does a fair job of presenting the scientific evidence used by the two opposing camps. She persuaded me that the disease-causing bacteria have evolved ways to remain dormant and evade antibiotics to cause long term chronic illness. I would love to see how the opposing camp would rebutt this book, because the research seems to support the author's position.

very good

This is an excel book, I highly recommended to every single person. To the sick ones to know what’s happening to them and to the healthy ones to educate themselves.