emerging diseases

[Elizabeth Winter]

As a New Mexico resident, I have paid a bit of attention to the 
respiratory hantavirus that erupted here a few years back.  As I recall, 
the rodent population explosion followed an especially wet winter, and 
consequent high production of pine nuts (deer mouse food).  Unless you're 
prepared to argue that weather was a consequence of human-generated 
climate change, you may want to abandon that portion of your argument.  
Disturbance increases human exposure, particularly amongst agricultural 
workers.

Well, think it over.

E.