CDC: 300,000 Treated for Lyme Each Year

The United States has 10 times as many Lyme disease cases each year as the official numbers report. That’s the conclusion of new research by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). More than 30,000 cases of Lyme disease are reported to the CDC each year. But 3 new studies suggest that doctors actually diagnose and treat about 300,000 cases a year. One study is based on medical insurance claims. One uses a survey of clinical laboratories that test for Lyme disease. The third study looks at self-reported Lyme disease, based on a survey of the public. CDC officials were not surprised that their official numbers had been low. They presented their early estimates, based on the 3 studies, at a conference on tick-borne diseases. Final estimates will be published when the studies are completed. HealthDay News wrote about the research August 19.