BENZIE COUNTY, MI – A northern Michigan health department reports a “significant increase” in cases of Lyme disease this summer.
The Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department has reported 12 cases of the disease since June 1. Lyme disease is caused by bacteria transmitted to humans through the bite of infected black-legged ticks (deer).
Six of the cases are in Benzie County and six in Leelanau County.
“This is a significant increase in recent years: Only 16 cases were reported in total during the previous 5 years,” wrote health staff on Facebook.
Northern Michigan is not the only region in the state where an increase in Lyme disease has been reported. Jackson County has more than doubled the number of Lyme disease cases observed in a typical year midway through the active season.
Many experts predicted the bad tick season in the spring. MLive spoke to Jean Tsao, an associate professor at Michigan State University who investigates ticks and tick-borne diseases in April.
He provided several tips to help prevent ticks, such as staying away from their natural habitat (wooded and grassy locations), staying on park trails, doing “tick checks” and showering within two hours of entry. .
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States.
Approximately 30,000 cases of Lyme disease are reported to the CDC by state health departments and the District of Columbia each year, however, recent estimates using other methods suggest that approximately 300,000 Americans may contract Lyme disease each year.
Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called migratory erythema. If left untreated, the infection can spread to the joints, heart, and nervous system.
