You can get
Lyme disease in most places in the United States. In
2006, almost 20,000 cases were reported in the U.S. alone.1 Lyme disease is also frequently reported in Canada, Europe,
and Asia.
You are at greatest risk of getting Lyme disease from a
tick bite if you:
- Live in areas within the U.S. that are heavily
infested with ticks that carry Lyme disease, such as the Northeast, from
Massachusetts to Virginia; the upper Midwest, especially Wisconsin and
Minnesota; and the West coast, particularly northern California and parts of
Oregon.
- Are between the ages of 5 to 9 years or 45 to 54 years,
perhaps due to greater exposure to infected ticks and less use of protective
measures.2
The risk of Lyme disease is highest during the spring and
summer (May through August), when ticks are most active and people spend more
time outdoors.
Lyme disease is most common among young children
and those who work or live in wooded areas, because they are more likely to
spend time outdoors in tick-infested areas. But even in areas where Lyme
disease occurs most often, very few tick bites lead to Lyme disease.