"Surveillance Method Change Leads to 70% Increase in US Lyme Disease Cases"

A new surveillance method for tracking Lyme disease in the US has led to a significant spike in reported cases, with over 62,000 cases in 2022, nearly a 70% increase from previous years. However, the CDC suggests that this spike may be due to changes in surveillance methods rather than a change in disease risk. The new methodology allows high-incidence jurisdictions to report cases based solely on laboratory evidence, potentially capturing more cases but creating challenges for tracking historical trends. Despite the reported cases being a fraction of the estimated total, vector-borne diseases are a growing public health threat, prompting the US Department of Health and Human Services to launch a national public health strategy to prevent and control these diseases.