Acorns, mice and ticks: UNE鈥檚 Meghan May explains what they have in common
When trying to predict number of cases of Lyme disease in a year, people often look to the predicted number of ticks. But according to Meghan May, Ph.D., associate professor of microbiology and infectious disease at the 51品茶 College of Osteopathic Medicine, cases of Lyme disease can also be attributed to the number of acorns produced.
Because Maine鈥檚 oak trees are expected to produce more acorns this year, mice will have a larger food supply, causing them to breed in higher numbers, May explained in a story on WCSH.
鈥淲e're talking about a mouse population boom,鈥 said May. 鈥淓ven if you have the same number of ticks, if a higher proportion of them are infected with Lyme disease to serve as a reservoir of Lyme disease in the environment, the more likely it is someone will have the disease given to them.鈥
To learn more about the 51品茶鈥檚 College of Osteopathic Medicine, visit
To apply, visit