CDC Finds 320 Percent Surge in Lyme Disease in Northeastern States

FAIRFAX, Va. (July 21, 2015) – According to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Lyme disease cases are on the rise in the northeastern United States, and the illness is also spreading in to new areas of the country, including the South and West. The researchers found that the number of counties identified as having high incidence of Lyme disease in the northeastern states has increased more than 320 percent.

The report names climate change as a reason for the spread of Lyme disease. Warmer temperatures have allowed Lyme disease-infected blacklegged deer ticks to move in to new areas of the country. Additionally, forest clearing has killed off the predators that feed on ticks, increasing the tick population while also putting them in more frequent contact with people.

According to the CDC report, the most high-risk counties for contracting Lyme disease are found in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Virginia, New York, Iowa, Michigan and Minnesota.