Lyme Disease Outbreaks 2023

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Last reviewed

May 7, 2023

Fact checked by Robert Carlson, MD

Content Overview

Lyme disease areas are located in the USA, Europe, and the United Kingdom in May 2023.

Lyme Disease Outbreaks May 2023

Lyme disease (Lyme borreliosis) is a bacterial disease transmitted to humans through the bite of infected ticks. It is a tickborne disease common in Europe and the United States, says the World Health Organization (WHO). The risk of contracting a tickborne infection is determined by the number of ticks in an area, the proportion of those carrying the disease, and human behavior, such as walking in tick-infested fields.

Lyme Disease Outbreaks in the U.S.

During the past 15 years, Lyme disease diagnoses have increased dramatically in the U.S., increasing over 300% in rural areas and 65% in urban areas, according to data released by FAIR Health in 2022. The top states in 2021 were New Jersey, Vermont, Maine, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.

As of January 2023, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a Lyme disease case map for the U.S. Each year, state and local health departments report cases of Lyme disease to the CDC through a passive reporting system, the Nationally Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS). A recent estimate based on insurance records suggests that approximately 476,000 Americans are diagnosed and treated yearly for Lyme disease.

Lyme Disease Outbreaks in the U.K.

In the U.K., the Health Security Agency says Lyme disease-carrying ticks are most active in the spring and summer months when the weather warms up but can be found all year round. Around 3,000 cases of Lyme disease are estimated to be diagnosed in England annually.

Lyme Disease Outbreaks in Europe

The World Health Organization Europe says the number of Lyme disease cases in Europe has increased steadily, with more than 360,000 cases reported over the last two decades. Central Europe has the highest Lyme disease incidence reported by the Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, and Slovenia.

Lyme Disease Overview

At least 20 different disease-causing bacteria, viruses, and parasites are transmitted by ticks to people, such as Lyme Disease. As with many other tickborne diseases, Lyme disease incidence has increased dramatically over the past ten years.