Editorial: Tick-borne diseases need more of our attention

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • December 6, 2021

There are about 30,000 cases of Lyme disease reported each year in the U.S., with nearly 2,000 a year coming from Maine. Researchers estimate that only a 10th of cases are ever reported. More work, and more funding, is needed nationally. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2020 released a national plan for tick-borne diseases, and is now working on a national strategy. So far, the top need identified is more research on where tick populations are increasing and why.