As temperatures rise, Great Lakes region faces spike in Lyme disease – shorelinemedia.net
LANSING — As if we all need another health concern, Lyme disease is creeping up in the ranks of worries for Great Lakes area residents.
Warmer temperatures due to climate change mean a longer breeding season for the blacklegged tick that carries the bacteria — and that means more people become infected, experts warn.
The worsening problem may put more pressure on the pharmaceutical industry to bring a discontinued vaccine back to the U.S. market, one expert said.
Michigan has seen a sharp jump in cases. In 2019, the state Department of Health and Human Services reported 404 diagnoses, compared with 228 in 2016 and 152 in 2015.
Reports of Lyme disease in Michigan by year.
Reports of Lyme disease in Michigan by year.
The experience has been similar in nearby states. In 2018,...