The Tick-Borne Disease You’ve Never Heard Of

Infectious disease physician and researcher Peter Hyson, MD, is looking for new treatments to one of the fastest-growing tick-borne diseases in the northeast: babesiosis. Caused by a parasite that infects red blood cells, babesiosis shares similarities with malaria and is becoming increasingly common across Vermont and northern New York. Dr. Hyson explains why cases are rising, how changes in tick populations are reshaping disease risk, and what scientists are learning about the environmental and public health factors driving these trends. He also explores the current challenges of treatment, why some patients experience more severe illness and how new research may lead to more effective medications in the future. You’ll also hear about One Health – a concept that encapsulates the connection between environmental change and human disease, and the importance of developing new tools to address emerging infectious threats. For anyone concerned about tick-borne disease or interested in the future of medicine, this episode offers an inside look at how research is helping prepare us for what’s next.