10 U.S. States That Are The Epicenter of Tick-Borne Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne illness in the United States, with an estimated 476,000 people infected each year. It is usually caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and, less commonly, Borrelia mayonii, both of which are transmitted to humans through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks. When caught early, Lyme disease is typically easy to treat with antibiotics. But if the infection is left untreated, it can spread throughout the body and lead to more serious complications affecting the joints, heart, and nervous system.