Lyme Disease Surveillance and Epidemiology in the United States: A Historical Perspective

In the 40 years since Steere and colleagues first described Lyme disease, the illness has increased in incidence and distribution to become the most common vector-borne disease in the United States. Public health officials have developed, implemented, and revised surveillance systems to describe and monitor the condition. Much has been learned about the epidemiology of the illness, despite practical and logistical constraints that have encumbered the collection and interpretation of surveillance data. Future development of automated data collection from electronic health records as a source of surveillance and clinical information will address practical challenges and help answer ongoing questions about complications and persistent symptoms. Robust surveillance will be essential to monitor the effectiveness and safety of future vaccines and other preventive measures.