All Posts Tagged With: "suffolk"

Lyme Cases Exploding in Massachusetts

Massachussetts Lyme CasesThe state of Massachusetts (MA) has consistently ranked in the top ten states in the US in reported Lyme disease cases; however its numbers are decidedly on the rise. In 2005, for example, MA ranked 4th nationwide in case numbers with 2,341 reported Lyme cases to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a 46% increase over 2004 numbers. Nationally, the reported cases totaled 23,305, an 18% increase in numbers.

The largest increases in MA were seen in Suffolk, Norfolk, and Middlesex Counties. The majority of confirmed cases had onsets in June, July and August. The average age for a confirmed Lyme disease case was 39 years.  The highest reported incidence rates were among children aged 5-9 years and adults aged 60-64 years, and 35% of confirmed cases did not report an EM rash. 

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