Babesiosis, a tickborne disease, is on the rise in Northeast, according to CDC report

CNN

The number of tickborne diseases has increased in the US with 25% more cases between 2011 and 2019. Babesiosis is one of them, and has been significantly more common in the Northeast over recent years.

Connecticut, Massachusetts and Minnesota were all already considered to be states with endemic transmissions of babesiosis. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has added three more states to this list: Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. These are the states where the case rates have increased the fastest and match or exceed other states.

These 10 states have reported more cases of babesiosis than in 2011, with the exception of two: Minnesota, and Wisconsin. In 2019, their case rates were 30% lower than in 2011.

According to the report, there have been more than 16,000 cases reported to the CDC of babesiosis between 2011 and 2019.

The symptoms of the disease include headaches, muscle and joint pain, fever, and muscle and joint pain. It can cause severe illness, which can lead to death in some cases. Patients may not know that they need to be tested for infection.

The CDC warns that babesiosis is on the rise and could cause blood supply problems. According to the report, blood transfusions can transmit the disease, with infections that are acquired from tick bites having a significantly higher chance of death and worse outcomes than those obtained through blood transfusions. The US Food and Drug Administration recommends that blood donors be tested for babesiosis within 14 states and Washington DC. This is in areas where the disease is most prevalent.

According to the CDC, "Persons who spend time outdoors in states where endemic babesiosis is prevalent should use tick repellents and wear long pants.