Lyme disease bacteria found in high levels in North Carolina ticks

A study published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report reveals that nearly 40 percent of adult blacklegged ticks collected from residential yards in Biltmore Forest, near Asheville, North Carolina, tested positive for the bacterium that causes Lyme disease. This infection rate is comparable to levels found in the Northeast and Midwest. Researchers from the University of South Carolina, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and North Carolina State University noted that the presence of these pathogens in residential areas, rather than just public lands, is significant.

In addition to Borrelia burgdorferi, investigators detected Borrelia miyamotoi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum, which can cause serious illness. The findings suggest a potential training gap among local clinicians who may have been taught to view Lyme disease as a rare northern issue.

A separate study of the patient experience highlights the complexities of the illness. Interviews with 25 adults in the United States found that many patients did not recognize an initial tick bite. While most reported symptom resolution after antibiotic treatment, approximately one-quarter continued to experience symptoms, and many noted disruptions to work, sleep, and emotional well-being during their recovery.