Fig. 1

Portrait of a Hidden Epidemic

The number of Lyme disease infections is on the rise. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) logs about 35,000 cases of Lyme disease per year out of more than 300 million Americans.  Actual infection rates are widely believed to be 10 times the reported cases or 300,000 new Lyme cases annually, according the CDC's data. 

1%

Percentage of Tick bites that lead to contracting Lyme Disease

20%

The chance of contracting Chronic Lyme Disease if infected by a Tick.

$1.3 Billion

 The Annual cost of Lyme disease to the U.S. health care system.

Fig. 2

The number of Lyme Disease infections is on the rise.

Lyme Disease infection rates in the United States continue to rise.  Cases have more than tripled since 1995 according to CDC data. Accounting for unreported cases, the numbers suggest as much as 1% or mire of the population in some eastern states is infected.

A Chronic Mystery

Estimates range up to 36% of people treated for Lyme disease struggle with at least one lingering symptom.  It could mean more people suffer from fallout of the infection months and years after initial treatment is stopped.  

Some researchers suspect residual tissue damage or immune systems gone awry after the infection. Other hypothesis implicate bacteria that persists in the body evading antibiotics.

For sufferers of Chronic Lyme disease it is a debilitating disease manifesting itself in multiple forms from fatigue and joint problems to arthritis and chronic pain.  There is some evidence to suggest that Lyme disease may be implicated in multiple sclerosis and other diseases not normally associated with Lyme.