Lyme Disease Found In More Than A Third Of Maine Deer Ticks

ORONO, Maine (AP) — More than a third of the deer ticks submitted to a Maine lab last year tested positive for Lyme disease, a surveillance report from the lab said.

The report is from the University of Maine Tick Lab. The lab found that a smaller percentage of ticks tested positive for anaplasmosis and babesiosis, which are other tick-borne diseases.

The tick lab's manager, Griffin Dill, said the information will help authorities learn how fast the ticks are spreading in the state. The study is the first of its kind in Maine, the Bangor Daily news reported.

The report found that just shy of 39% of deer ticks tested positive for Lyme. The data also show ticks were more frequently found higher on the bodies of children than adults.

Lyme disease can cause symptoms such as neck stiffness, joint pain and irregular heartbeat.

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