Field Notes #9: The Long Way Home
- Heather McSharry, PhD
- Jun 10
- 6 min read
The Long Way Home
On the connections between people and places
Field Notes is where I take one idea from the episode—something that feels like a hinge point—and follow it to see what it reveals. If you want the full story, you can read or listen to the episode here.
In the Margins
Most of us think of nature as a place we visit.
It's somewhere we go on a Saturday morning hike. A fishing trip. A camping weekend. A walk through a park after summer rain. Then we come home, close the door, and return to what feels like a separate world. But the boundary isn't nearly as real as we imagine.
The story of alpha-gal syndrome begins with a tick bite, but what fascinates me is everything that has to happen before that bite ever occurs. A deer moving through a patch of woods. A tick finding a host. Rain supporting the plants and animals that make up an ecosystem. Countless interactions unfolding long before a person steps onto the trail.
And then, in a moment so small it often goes unnoticed, that ecosystem crosses the threshold and comes home with us. Not as dirt on our boots or leaves stuck to our clothing. As biology.
A tick bite. A mosquito bite. A fungal spore inhaled while gardening. The smell of rain itself, carried by compounds produced by soil microbes. These aren't intrusions from some separate natural world. They're reminders that we've always been part of it.
That's easy to forget because modern life is remarkably good at creating the illusion of separation. Climate-controlled homes. Screen doors. Treated water. Grocery stores. We experience nature as scenery more often than as a system we're embedded within.
But the connections never disappear.
The same rain that cools the air after a long summer day fills the temporary pools where mosquitoes breed. The same wooded trail that offers shade and quiet also supports deer, rodents, birds, ticks, and the countless organisms that depend on them. Even the smell many of us associate with summer storms comes from microbial life in the soil.
None of this is a reason to fear the outdoors. In fact, I think it's the opposite.
Understanding that we're part of these systems makes the world feel richer, not more dangerous. The goal isn't to avoid nature. It's to notice it. To recognize that every hike, every garden, every summer evening spent outside is part of a larger web of relationships that was here long before us and will remain long after we're gone.
The reverse is true as well. We don't move through ecosystems as observers. We leave pieces of ourselves behind. Sometimes that's obvious—a trail cut through a forest, a neighborhood built where prairie once stood. Sometimes it's subtle, altering which animals thrive, where they travel, and how they interact with one another. Alpha-gal syndrome is one of the stranger reminders of this shared reality.
Underlined
Ways to enjoy the outdoors without forgetting you're sharing it:
Know who else is using the space
Deer trails, standing water, rodent burrows, bird feeders, and brush piles are often signs of ecological activity long before they're health concerns.
Dress for the environment, not just the weather
Sunscreen gets all the attention. Repellent and long pants often matter just as much.
Pay attention after you come home
A quick tick check, shower, or inspection of pets can interrupt exposures before they become problems.
Understand that most risks are seasonal
Summer rain brings cooling temperatures and green landscapes. It also brings mosquitoes, ticks, and the conditions they prefer.
Don't let awareness become fear
The goal isn't to avoid nature. The goal is to participate in it more intelligently.
Be a respectful interloper
We are guests in these spaces. Stay on established trails when possible. Leave wildlife wild. Avoid feeding animals. Pack out what you bring in.
The goal isn't to fear or conquer these environments. It's to enjoy them while recognizing that countless other organisms call them home.
What It Points To
We are not separate from the ecosystems we move through; we shape them, and they shape us.
Outbreak Watch
Updates will only include information verified through credible reporting or official public health sources.
As of mid-morning, June 10, 2026:
The Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to expand. According to the latest figures released by the DRC Ministry of Health, 598 confirmed cases and 115 confirmed deaths have been reported, with 297 patients currently hospitalized in isolation. Ituri Province remains the center of the outbreak, accounting for 563 confirmed cases across 17 health zones. North Kivu has reported 32 confirmed cases and South Kivu three. Health authorities continue to emphasize that some recent increases reflect expanded testing capacity and the processing of previously collected samples, making case counts a measure of both transmission and surveillance.
Uganda has reported 19 confirmed cases, including two deaths. No new cases have been reported since 5 June. To date, all identified transmission chains remain linked to infections originating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Five cases have been associated with local transmission events, while fourteen have been linked to travel from DRC. There is currently no evidence of sustained community transmission in Uganda.
WHO, Africa CDC, and partner organizations have launched a continental preparedness and response plan seeking approximately $518 million to support surveillance, preparedness, and outbreak control efforts across Africa. The outbreak remains particularly challenging because Bundibugyo virus currently has no approved vaccine or specific treatment.
Political controversy continues over the proposed U.S.-run Ebola quarantine facility in Kenya. In response to protests yesterday, police fired tear gas on protesters in Nanyuki. Last week, two protesters were fatally shot.
For Hondius, the news is essentially that there is no news, which is good news. The hantavirus cluster remains unchanged at 13 cases and 3 deaths. No new cases have been reported since the last update, and the outbreak continues to behave as expected given the virus's incubation period and the extensive monitoring of exposed passengers and crew.
Among the 18 U.S. residents placed under quarantine and monitoring after the voyage, eight have now completed the initial phase of observation and left the federal quarantine facility, including five who have returned home. Three additional passengers recently returned to their home states, where they will complete approximately two more weeks of monitoring under local and state public health supervision. Because Andes hantavirus can have an incubation period of up to 42 days, monitoring efforts continue for the remaining exposed passengers. While additional cases remain possible until that period closes, the outbreak continues to follow the expected epidemiologic pattern and the overall public health risk remains very low.
New World screwworm remains one of the most closely watched animal health events in the United States. As of June 9, USDA has confirmed six cases in the United States involving multiple species, including calves, a goat, and a dog. One canine case initially reported in Texas was later reclassified to New Mexico after investigators determined the animal resided there.
The response has expanded significantly. USDA and state partners have established quarantine zones around affected areas, increased trapping and surveillance, intensified sterile fly releases, and activated a sterile fly dispersal facility in South Texas. More than 75 personnel are currently involved in field operations, with additional support teams providing diagnostics, logistics, planning, and air operations.
The broader concern remains preventing the pest from becoming reestablished in the United States. New World screwworm larvae feed on living tissue, making them a serious threat to livestock, wildlife, pets, and occasionally people. As a precaution, southern ports of entry remain closed to livestock imports while surveillance and control efforts continue on both sides of the border.
For now, the number of confirmed cases remains small. The larger story is the scale of the response, which reflects the potentially enormous agricultural and economic consequences if containment efforts fail.
Postscript
Thank you for subscribing. 🫶
When I started planning this month's Stories of Summer Rain series, I knew I wanted to spend some time talking about the smell of rain. Not just the poetry of it, but the science.
And we've already has some real summer rainstorms this season. The kind that arrive after a long stretch of heat, rattle against the windows, and leave the air feeling entirely different. I found myself standing outside listening and thinking about how many of the things we're talking about this month trace back to the same environmental systems. The stormwater that shapes mosquito habitat. The humidity that supports ticks. The soil microbes that produce the scent of rain.
Next week, we're following that thread into the rain itself. We'll explore the surprisingly microbial origins of one of summer's most beloved smells. It will be an immersive, indulgent experience.
Until next week,
— Heather
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