Lyme Disease

Clear↑ rising

Vector-borne

Current NYS Status

21,632 cases in 2024 — near the 5-year baseline of ~16,445.

2024 statewide cases: 21,632

Source: NYSDOH Annual Communicable Disease Report 2024 + 5-yr baseline

What is it?

Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and transmitted by the bite of blacklegged (deer) ticks. It is the most common vector-borne disease in New York State, with over 21,000 cases reported in 2024. Case counts are highest in the Hudson Valley, Long Island, and Capital Region.

How it spreads

Spread through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks. The tick must typically be attached for 36–48 hours before the bacteria can be transmitted. Peak transmission season is May through August when nymphal ticks — about the size of a poppy seed — are most active.

Symptoms

Early Lyme (3–30 days after bite): expanding circular rash (erythema migrans), fever, fatigue, headache, and muscle and joint aches. If untreated, later stages can cause joint pain and swelling, neurological symptoms (facial palsy, meningitis), and rarely heart rhythm problems.

Who is at risk?

Anyone who spends time outdoors in wooded, brushy, or grassy areas in tick-endemic regions of NYS. Hudson Valley, Long Island, and Capital Region residents have the highest exposure risk.

What you can do

🛡Do a full-body tick check after every outdoor activity in tick habitat, including on children and pets

🛡Use EPA-registered repellent containing DEET, picaridin, or IR3535 on skin; permethrin on clothing

🛡Remove attached ticks promptly with fine-tipped tweezers — grasp close to the skin and pull upward steadily

⚕️See a provider if you develop a rash or flu-like illness after a tick bite — early treatment with doxycycline is highly effective

Tier B — Annual report tracking

Based on NYSDOH annual communicable disease report. Threat level reflects 2024 case counts compared to the 5-year baseline.

Seasonality: tick season

This information is for general public health awareness and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.