Lyme Disease on Long Island

Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks (also called deer ticks, Ixodes scapularis). Long Island — and Suffolk County in particular — has some of the highest rates of Lyme disease in New York State due to the region's geography, deer populations, and climate.

New York State consistently reports more Lyme disease cases than nearly any other state in the country, and Suffolk County accounts for a significant share of those cases. The combination of large white-tailed deer populations (which host adult ticks), wooded suburban terrain on the North Shore, and a climate that allows nearly year-round tick activity makes Long Island an especially high-risk environment.

Lyme disease is transmitted when an infected blacklegged tick attaches to a person and feeds for a sufficient duration — generally 36–48 hours or more. Nymph ticks (the tiny, poppy-seed-sized juvenile stage) are the most common source of Lyme transmission on Long Island because they are difficult to see and peak activity occurs in May and June, when people spend the most time outdoors.

Not all deer tick bites result in Lyme disease — only infected ticks can transmit the bacteria, and even then, the tick generally needs to be attached long enough to transfer the pathogen. However, because ticks are difficult to find and easy to miss, prevention and prompt removal are important.