Northeast Leads in Lyme-Related Diagnoses in Urgent Care

In the United States, 8 common species of ticks exist in different geographies that present risk of transmitting more than 10 different types of diseases. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the most common ticks associated with human disease transmission in the United States are the American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis, or D. similis), also known as a “wood tick,” and the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis), commonly referred to as a “deer tick.”¹ The deer tick is associated with Lyme disease as well as other diseases. Both of these species exist in every state east of the Rocky Mountains.

Lyme disease symptoms can vary, but common early symptoms include a characteristic erythema migrans (EM) rash, which often looks like a bull’s eye target, as well as flu-like symptoms such as fever, fatigue, headache, and muscle/joint aches.² It’s important to note that not all patients will develop a rash, and the flu-like symptoms can be easily mistaken for viral or other conditions.