New data on the distribution of Lyme disease-carrying ticks in North Carolina find a dramatic increase in the region of the Blue Ridge Mountains, according to a study by the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG).
New UNC Greensboro (UNCG) surveillance study reveals that the primary vector of the bacteria that causes Lyme disease (LD) The black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis) has been spreading to areas previously considered low risk.
Dr. Gideon Wasserberg, a professor of biology at UNCG and one of the leaders of the research project, says that currently 16 states, primarily in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Upper Midwest, account for 95% of reported LD cases.
“However, low-incidence states in the south and west, including North Carolina, have seen an increase in the number of reported Lyme disease cases since the early 2010s,” Wasserberg notes.
In April, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) reported that more than 900 cases of tick- and mosquito-associated illnesses occurred in the state in 2024.
Related: Tick-borne diseases on the rise in North Carolina
State survey shows increase in Blue Ridge
With funding from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) administered by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), researchers from UNCG, North Carolina State University, and Appalachian State University conducted a five-year statewide survey of black-legged ticks and the pathogens they often carry.
“Our data show an expansion of these ticks’ ranges into more counties in the Blue Ridge Mountains and western Piedmont, and a dramatic increase in their densities in this area as a whole,” Wasserberg said.
The doctor indicated that these findings are consistent with the increasing reports of human cases of Lyme disease in these areas.
On the other hand, the study found that the eastern Piedmont and coastal plain, where black-legged ticks and human cases of Lyme disease have historically been observed, saw little change in tick density in comparison.
Related: What are the risks of mosquito and tick bites?
Blue Ridge ticks are more infectious
In the new study, ticks in the Blue Ridge Mountains were also more likely to carry Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria responsible for most cases of Lyme disease, compared to ticks in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain.
“Our analysis indicates that these ticks and the bacteria they carry have moved to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina from southwest Virginia over the past 10 years, traveling along the Appalachian Mountains,” Wasserberg explains.
Researchers say the findings have important implications for public health.
“Enhanced surveillance, a greater public awareness and updated guidance for healthcare providers are crucial to mitigating risk,” said Dr. Reuben Garshong, senior author of the recently published article in PLOS One.
Now a research scientist at the New Jersey Department of Health, Garshong participated in much of the study as a doctoral student in Wasserberg's lab at UNCG.
What diseases do ticks transmit?
Among the most common infections are Lyme disease, which can cause fever, joint pain and neurological disturbances, and ehrlichiosis, which generates symptoms similar to those of flu.
According to official data, Lyme disease accounted for 33% of reported tick-borne infections in 2024, while ehrlichiosis accounted for 38%.
Both diseases can be treated with antibiotics, but specialists insist that successful treatment depends on early detection.
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