Is Lyme disease an epidemic in Massachusetts?

Lyme disease used to be considered endemic, meaning it was prevalent in specific locations, but that term no longer applies. The state declared Lyme an epidemic in back in 2015.

Over the last decade or so, Lyme disease in Massachusetts has reached epic proportions. So much so that the state declared it an epidemic six years ago. Sounds scary right? Well, it is, and it is not. In Massachusetts, we have had the frequency of human cases go up over the last 10 to 15 years, which has increased the public’s awareness. Calling Lyme Disease an “epidemic” simply means, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that there is “…an increase, often sudden, in the number of cases of a disease above what is normally expected in that population in that area.”

What the Lyme Disease Epidemic Means for Central Mass

As previously reported by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) Lyme Disease surveillance, Worcester county and Middlesex county were among the top three Massachusetts counties for the number of Lyme disease cases back in 2013. This put us in the center of the action for the epidemic that has hit our state. This might sound troublesome but by bringing attention to the subject, we can keep the public informed of heightened risks so that you know to increase your Lyme disease prevention methods.

How did Lyme Disease become an epidemic?

As reported by Enterprise News the areas that were suffering the highest rates of Lyme disease were also the areas where there are the largest deer populations. For instance, in coastal communities like Plymouth, it was estimated that there were 40 deer per square mile. The state’s goal is to keep that number be between six and eight deer per square mile. With each deer being able to host 300 ticks per week, that adds up to 12,000 ticks in a single square mile in any given week, on deer alone.

When am I at the highest risk for Lyme Disease?

Ticks will bite all year long, but July and August are the riskiest months for contracting Lyme Disease. Avoiding ticks and tick bites is the best way to prevent Lyme disease. Follow the 6 C’s of tick control to protect yourself and your family.

Wellesley tick control for the prevention of Lyme disease.

With Mosquito Squad’s tick control barrier treatment, ticks be eliminated on contact, and will continue to be eliminated with a special time-released formula for up to three weeks. With the addition of tick tubes, the tick life cycle can be interrupted by reducing the number tick nymphs that would otherwise become adults, who go looking for a deer or human host.

Please seek medical attention immediately if you suspect you have been bitten by an infected tick.

Choose Mosquito Squad’s Wellesley tick control barrier protection to help reduce the threat of ticks in your yard from springtime all the way through fall. Enlist our tick tube program in the fall and winter to for ultimate protection. Call us today at (978) 234-2367.