The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that only 20,000 to 30,000 cases of Lyme disease are recorded each year, but the disease is actually about 10 times more prevalent than that. This means that about nine out of 10 busy doctors do not report every case of the disease to the CDC.
The estimate of 300,000 cases of Lyme disease each year is taken from survey of seven national laboratories, a national patient survey and a review of insurance information, reports CBS News. Although the CDC has suspected these results for a long time now, they were finally able to get an official tally. It was announced Sunday at the International Conference on Lyme Borreliosis and Other Tick-Borne Diseases in Boston.
"We know that routine surveillance only gives us part of the picture, and that the true number of illnesses is much greater," reported Dr. Paul Mead, chief of epidemiology and surveillance for CDC's Lyme disease program.
Daily News claims that this information will lead to increased funding, increased precautions, and better procedures for preventing, treating and reporting Lyme disease.
Lyme disease is caused by a bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi, which humans contract through the bite of infected deer ticks. Common symptoms include fever, headache and fatigue and can sometimes include a rash that looks like a bull's-eye. The disease can be fought with antibiotics, but if left untreated, it can lead to arthritis and other serious issues.
96 percent of Lyme disease reported in the U.S. have occurred in the following 13 states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin.
In order to avoid Lyme disease, the CDC recommends insect repellant and a thorough check-over for ticks after being outside. Dr. Lyle R. Petersen, director of the CDC's Division of Vector-Borne Diseases reports that although these prevention methods work, people don't always follow through on using them. He said, "we need to move to a broader approach to tick reduction, involving entire communities, to combat this public health problem."