Lyme disease cases can be 10 times greater than the records show, the CDC found

New data from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that cases of tick-borne Lyme disease can be up to 10 times greater than official records.

The CDC published a report last week that suggests that about 476,000 Americans contract the disease each year, not the 35,000 or 40,000 annually that were previously reported.

Maine has the highest incidence rate of Lyme disease in the country, largely because deer ticks are particularly active here. Cases have steadily increased in Maine and reached a record 2,079 in 2019, although, as recent data suggests, that number could reach 20,000 cases.

Disease specialists have always known that the actual cases are much larger than those reported by state health departments. The most recent CDC estimate was obtained by reviewing billing codes on health insurance claims from 2010 to 2018. Researchers first counted the cases that were officially coded as Lyme disease and for which the patient received antibiotics, then used statistical tools to estimate cases among all people, including the uninsured, those aged 65 and over who would not be included in commercial insurance claims data and those who have never been treated. The CDC also said that previous research suggests that Lyme is not always coded correctly, in part because it is difficult to diagnose. There is no definitive test to detect the disease; should be diagnosed by a clinician based on the symptoms.

Senator Susan Collins of Maine, who co-authored the Kay Hagan Tick Act in 2019, said the new estimate “underscores the fact that tick-borne diseases are a serious and growing threat to public health.”

“Now that we have a clearer picture of the challenge we face, we are better positioned to protect the health of Americans,” said the Republican in a statement.

As part of this 2019 legislation, which included $ 100 million in funding over five years to combat the disease, the CDC unveiled a new panel to help researchers collect real-time data from emergency rooms and clinic visits. It will be updated weekly to better indicate when people in different parts of the country may be at greatest risk.

Lyme disease is caused by a bacterial infection transmitted by the bite of a deer tick. If detected early, the infection can be treated with antibiotics. Symptoms include rash – which occurs in about 50% of patients – fever, chills, headache, muscle and joint pain and neurological problems, such as Bell’s palsy. Lyme is the most common tick-borne disease, but the CDC tracks others as well, including anaplasmosis and babesiosis, which are also increasingly seen in Maine.

Last year, the University of Maine’s Cooperative Extension Laboratory conducted unprecedented research on ticks and tick-borne diseases. The researchers found that about 40 percent of the nearly 2,000 deer ticks sent by volunteers and tested last year were infected with Lyme disease. Eight percent of ticks carried anaplasmosis and 6% carried babesiosis. The report included samples sent by residents of each of the 16 municipalities in the state and 358 municipalities, and were collected between April 1 and December 30, 2019.

Adult ticks are most active from early spring to late autumn, with peaks in April or May and late October or early November, the report said. The number of nymphs usually peaks in June and early July. Deer ticks can remain active as long as the temperature is above freezing, and recent research suggests that they can survive under leaves and snow, even if the surface temperature remains low.

Experts recommend that people entering tick habitats, such as woods and fields, wear long-sleeved pants and shirts, apply insect repellent, and perform frequent “tick checks” to see if they have caught any ticks while outside . At home, it is advisable to reduce the number of leaves in the yard and to be careful of piles of wood or dead wood, where ticks can gather.

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