Tick Control: Dutchess County leads the nation in Lyme Disease cases

Lyme’s is one of the fastest growing infectious diseases in the United States

It’s summertime, which means longer days spent enjoying our yards with our families. Unfortunately, more time spent outdoors also means an increased risk of contracting a tick-borne disease.

As a result, the months of June and July see the largest numbers of confirmed cases of Lyme disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In Dutchess County, it’s always pretty much a bad Lyme year

Approximately 96% of confirmed Lyme disease cases are concentrated in New England and the upper Midwest. According to the CDC, with over 24,000 new cases of Lyme Disease in the each year, Lyme’s is one of the fastest growing infectious diseases in the United States, especially in our area.

The mid-Hudson Valley has among the nation’s highest rates of the tick-borne illness, with five local counties placing in the top 10 per capita, specifically Dutchess, Columbia, Orange, Suffolk, and Ulster.

Dutchess residents have been hard-hit by tick-borne illness

A CDC analysis of state and federal data shows that Dutchess County residents have been hard-hit by tick-borne illness:

Dutchess County had the highest number of reported Lyme cases (11,660) from 2000–2014.
The majority of infections occur between May—August when ticks are most active.
Infection is most common among children aged 5–15 years and adults aged 40–60 years.

Reported Cases of Lyme Disease 2000—2016

Dutchess County (11,660)
2000 – 1100
2001 – 1100
2002 – 1700
2003 – 1300
2004 – 1100
2005 – 1400
2006 – 1000
2007 – 550
2008 – 1100
2009 – 500
2010 – 200
2011 – 200
2012 – 100
2013 – 170
2014 – 200
2015 –
2016 –

New York State (71,300)
2000 – 4,300
2001 – 4,100
2002 – 5,500
2003 – 5,400
2004 – 5,100
2005 – 5,500
2006 – 4,500
2007 – 4,100
2008 – 7,800
2009 – 5,600
2010 – 3,500
2011 – 4,500
2012 – 3,000
2013 – 4,600
2014 – 3,700
2015 –
2016 –

United States (407,799)
2000 – 17,700
2001 – 17,000
2002 – 23,763
2003 – 21,200
2004 – 19,800
2005 – 23,300
2006 – 19,900
2007 – 27,444
2008 – 35,200
2009 – 38,500
2010 – 30,100
2011 – 33,100
2012 – 30,900
2013 – 36,300
2014 – 33,400
2015 –
2016 –
2016 –

Reported Cases of Lyme Disease in the US

Since the tick-borne illness was discovered in the 1970s, Lyme has steadily increased in range and intensity. Lyme disease diagnosis and treatment remain complicated, and there is currently no vaccine available.