And there are signs that the most common tick-borne illness — Lyme disease — may be occurring at roughly usual levels. For people, the main worry is blacklegged ticks, which can spread Lyme disease and other illnesses. Nearly 30,000 cases of Lyme disease are reported to the federal government each year, but experts think it's underreported and the actual number may be more like 300,000. Blacklegged ticks — also called deer ticks — were once found mainly in New England and pockets of the Midwest, but in recent years have been seen over a wider range . When infected ticks bite, a "bulls'-eye" rash can appear a few days later.

Source: ABC News July 05, 2017 16:41 UTC