Estimating the Frequency of Lyme Disease Diagnoses, United States, 2010-2018

Abstract

By using commercial insurance claims data, we estimated that Lyme disease was diagnosed and treated in ≈476,000 patients in the United States annually during 2010-2018. Our results underscore the need for accurate diagnosis and improved prevention.

Keywords: Borrelia burgdorferi; Lyme disease; United States; bacteria; diagnoses; disease burden; insurance claims; vector-borne infections.

Figure

Estimated number of Lyme disease diagnoses annually, calculated by using commercial insurance claims data and 3 correction factors, United States, 2010–2018. Only those records that contained age and state information were included to enable calculation of standardized case counts for the US population. *Correction factor accounting for Lyme disease–specific codes is based on data from 3 studies that suggest only 43% of patients whose cases met the confirmed, probable, or suspect surveillance case definitions had the ICD-9-CM code for Lyme disease in their medical records (5–7; E. Schiffman, Minnesota Department of Health, pers. comm., 2020 Jan 17). CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; CrI, credible interval; ICD-9-CM, International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification.