The Dangers of Lyme Disease in New England

The Dangers of Lyme Disease in New England

In 2011, 96 percent of Lyme disease cases were found in the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia, and Wisconsin. Notice a trend? Lyme disease is most prevalent in New England and along the East Coast. In 2011, almost 2,500 people in Massachusetts were diagnosed with the disease. “Lyme disease is contracted from the bite of an infected tick,” says Dr. Mark Klempner, a specialist in infectious diseases from the University of Massachusetts Medical School. “Ticks are most active during the months between May and September, and areas like New England are often heavily infected. However, Lyme disease can also be acquired during other months of the year, too, depending on the activity of infected ticks.” Read more.