Lyme Disease Cases up 70 Percent Due to Reporting Change

In 2022, Lyme disease cases in the U.S. surged by approximately 70%, reaching 62,500 reported cases, compared to an average of 31,100 between 2017 and 2019, as per data from the CDC. The increase is attributed to a change in reporting methodology rather than a substantial rise in actual cases.

The CDC clarified that cases previously excluded are now incorporated due to improvements in reporting, where earlier health departments faced challenges obtaining clinical information or meeting specified criteria. Despite the spike, under-reporting is still likely, particularly for mild cases and outside the disease's common regions, according to researchers. Read more from The Hill here.