Why Be Concerned?
Tick-Borne disease is a worldwide problem. Anyone spending time outdoors is subject to infection where Ticks are known to thrive. How serious is Tick-Borne disease? The CDC estimates 300,000 US residents (1 in 1,000) will contract Lyme or a Tick-Borne disease. According to Keith Clay, distinguished professor of biology at Indiana University this number could be closer to 3 million cases a year (1 in 100 - a 10x increase over the CDC numbers) given how inconsistently the condition is diagnosed and reported. Professor Clay is currently researching Tick-Borne disease with a concentration in microbial symbiosis, disease and host ecology, and biological invasions.
Based on the upward trend of cases reported over a 15 year period, the CDC has acknowledged that Lyme disease is the fastest growing vector-borne infectious disease in the United States with most cases occurring in the Northeast and North Central areas of the United States. The following table shows the current population of four Northeastern states, the reported cases over 15 years, and infection rates.
CDC REPORTED CASES / INFECTION RATES
The following frames present CDC information regarding reported and estimated cases in the US, ILADS statistics compiled from LLMD doctors and an article from the National Science Foundation regarding a possible link between forest fragmentation and the increase of Tick-Borne disease.
CDC Tick Borne Disease High Risk Zone (Estimate)
In 2013 the CDC adjusted up the number of estimated Lyme disesae cases from 30 000 to 300,000 a year. The map shows the Northeast as the "epicenter" for tick borne diseases and the tri-county area as a "hot zone" for estimated cases. Click CDC>> to read the article.
CDC Tick-Borne Diseased Report Cases
Most tick-borne disease cases are reported using the infected person's county of residence, not the place where they were infected. Tick-Borne Disease cases have been reported in nearly every state, however, the majority of cases occur in the Northeastern United States. if you live in the tri-county area your chances of getting bitten increases significantly compared to other areas of the United States. Click CDC>> to read the article.
ILADS Quick Facts
According to the CDC, the number of cases reported annually has increased nearly 25x since the national surveillance began in 1982. The growth in cases is thought to be attributed to the diversity of the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria (100 strains in the US and 300 worldwide) which enables the bacteria to evade the immune system and antibiotic therapy leading to chronic infection. The CDC estimate of 300,000 infections a year is 10 times more than previously reported. This new estimate confirms that Tick-Borne disease is a tremendous public health problem in the United States,” says Dr. Paul Mead, chief of epidemiology and surveillance for CDC’s Lyme disease program. click ILADS>> to read the article
National Science Foundation
According to an NSF published report on the "Ecology And Evolution Of Infectious Diseases" Lyme Disease incidence is rising in the United States and is in fact far more common than West Nile virus and other insect-borne diseases. Forest fragmentation could explain the increase......(link to NSF REPORT>>)