Prepared by Susan Knoll
For the Carlisle Board of Health Lyme Disease Subcommittee
Project: This project aims to compare the Lyme disease burden in Carlisle to Lyme Disease burden in each county and state from 2012 – 2015, to assess the severity of Carlisle’s burden.
Introduction: Lyme disease is the mostly commonly reported of all the tick-borne diseases (TBD) in the nation and is caused by the bite of an infected deer tick, usually during the immature nymph stage. In Massachusetts, the Lyme disease burden is particularly high. It is speculated that the increased prevalence of Lyme disease is a combination of climate change, increased deer population, and increased mouse population. Lyme disease is difficult to diagnose clinically, as the symptoms mimic other common diseases, such as influenza.
Methods: Used Excel 2016, along with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Surveillance System, MAVEN, to analyze Carlisle’s Lyme Disease burden. This project assessed annual state surveillance reports from 1-1-2012 – 12-31-2015, for Carlisle and the 14 Massachusetts counties and Commonwealth. Borrelia (spp), and B. burgdorfii were employed to calculate total Lyme disease. Anaplasma phagocytophilum was utilized to calculate Human Granulocytic Anaplasmosis (HGA) and Babesia microti was used to calculate Babesiosis. Both of these TBD’s were included, along with Lyme disease, to calculate the total tick-borne diseases. The American Communities Survey (Census) was used to derive the square mileage totals.
Results: From 2013-2015, the percent change of the number of Lyme disease cases for the town of Carlisle was +41%, versus Middlesex County at -26% and Worcester County at -17. From 2012- 2015, the Lyme disease percent change, as a portion of the TBD diseases, was as follows: Carlisle +85%, Middlesex County -14%, and Worcester County – 7%.
Discussion: The burden of Lyme disease continues to increase in Carlisle, despite it’s area being only 16 square miles, as compared to 825 and 1,513 square miles for Middlesex and Worcester County, respectively. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has classified Carlisle as a country suburb, whereas Middlesex and Worcester counties are mix of country suburb and maturing New England town farmacie-romania.com. Compared to the two largest counties in the Commonwealth, Carlisle’s Lyme disease burden continues to increase since 2012.
