Media Coverage

The New York Times reported yesterday that a new-to-the-United-States tick species has been identified in seven states in recent months, after an infestation was first discovered last summer in New Jersey. The tick is native to Asia, where it is known to carry a dangerous virus that kills 15% of the people it bites. But it has spread in recent years—to Australia, New Zealand, several Pacific islands, and now to America.

This really bites and sucks. The tick population continues to grow, Lyme Disease continues to spread, and now according to a recently released analysis from Quest Diagnostics Lyme Disease can be found in all 50 states plus Washington, D.C.

If you thought you were safe from Lyme disease because you don’t live in New England, where the tick-borne illness first appeared, think again. Now, 100 percent of the country — all 50 states plus the District — has residents who have tested positive for Lyme, a bacterial infection that can cause a wide variety of symptoms, including joint aches, fatigue, facial palsy and neck stiffness.

Every state in the nation reported residents who tested positive for Lyme disease, according to the most recent Quest Diagnostics study released last week. No longer is the tick-borne disease simply an issue for people living in New England, where it first appeared and is still prevalent.

A new report has found that the tick-borne illness Lyme disease has been detected in all 50 states, and cases continue to rise. The report from Quest Diagnostics is based on more than six million blood tests taken over the last seven years, CBS New York reports. The New Jersey-based clinical laboratory says cases of Lyme disease have exploded in areas like California and Florida, where it was not commonly seen in the past. The company believe ticks are finding it easier to survive in new regions and spreading diseases to unsuspecting residents.