Climate change is driving an increase in cases of Lyme diseasein the United States, quadrupling in rural areas over the past 15 years.
Lyme disease diagnoses also increased 65% in urban areas, according to private claims matched by New York-based FAIR Health.
Research suggests that climate change is contributing to the expansion of tick ranges,and the potential risk of Lyme disease. increase. Changes in weather patterns meansmites appear earlier than usual and spread faster.
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection spread to humans by infected ticks.
Ticks that can cause Lyme disease are found throughout the UK, but areas of high risk include grassy and wooded areas in southern and northern England, and the highlands of Scotland. will be
Lyme disease can be treated with antibiotics, but some Lyme patients subsequently develop long-term symptoms such as fatigue, muscle and joint pain, and cognitive problems. Such conditions are associated with post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome, sometimes called chronic Lyme disease.
FAIR conducted his 15-year analysis of Lyme disease using a database of over 36 billion private claims medical claims.
This infographic shows key differences in Lyme disease prevalence when comparing rural and urban areas. From 2016 to 2021, claims diagnosed with Lyme disease increased by 6% in rural areas and 19% in urban areas, with diagnoses peaking nationwide in June and July each year.
During these summer months, rural areas, on average, had higher rates of claims related to Lyme disease diagnoses than urban areas. However, from November to April, more claims diagnosed with Lyme disease occurred in urban areas than in rural areas.
