The CDC has issued updated prevention guidelines for Lyme disease following a 35 percent increase in reported cases across the northeastern United States this spring. Health officials attribute the surge to warmer winters that have expanded tick habitats.
The new guidelines recommend year-round tick checks in endemic areas and encourage the use of permethrin-treated clothing for outdoor workers. The agency is also fast-tracking approval of a new Lyme vaccine candidate that showed promising results in Phase III trials.
State health departments are ramping up public awareness campaigns, particularly targeting hikers, gardeners, and families with children who spend significant time outdoors during warmer months.
