Lyme Disease Cases On The Rise In Wisconsin

Reported cases of Lyme disease have been on the rise in Wisconsin and have doubled on average in the last 15 years data reports show.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services says that Wisconsin is reporting some of the highest number of cases in the country.

Experts say this is due to ticks thriving in Wisconsin’s geographical terrain and because we are having warmer winters which ticks are surviving better.

In 2021, Wisconsin had nearly 5,000 estimated cases of Lyme disease, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates the total number of cases is more than 10 times higher than what is reported.

Lyme disease is a severe bacterial infection spread through blacklegged ticks, also known as deer ticks. Up to 80% of infected people will get a bulls-eye-shaped rash that spreads over several days and may reach 12 inches across. Other flu-like symptoms like chills, headache, fatigue, joint aches and swollen lymph nodes can also occur even without the rash.

The Wisconsin Department of health says If you discover a tick, remove it within the first 24 hours to reduce your chance of getting Lyme disease. Lyme disease symptoms occur three to 30 days after a tick bite.