Number of Cases

Lyme disease is the fastest-growing epidemic in the world. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A. affirms that "there is considerable underreporting" of Lyme disease, maintaining that the actual infection rate may be 1.8 million, 10 times higher than the 180,000 cases currently reported. Nick Harris, Ph.D., Director of the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS), states "Lyme is grossly under-reported. In the U.S., we probably have about 200,000 cases per year." Dan Kinderleher, MD an expert on Lyme disease, stated on the Today Show in June 10, 2002 that the number of cases may be 100 times higher (18 million in the United States alone) than reported by the CDC.

Joanne Whitaker, MD has developed a "Rapid Identification of Borrelia burgdorferi" and has over 3200 positive specimens for Borrelia burgdorferi from forty-six (46) states, including Alaska and Hawaii.  In addition, Dr. Whitaker has had positive specimens from Australia, Canada, Canary Islands, Brazil, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Scotland, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

Considering vector, congenital and sexual transfer, Dr. Harvey and Dr. Salvato estimate that 15.5% of the global population, nearly 1 billion people, could be infected with Borrelia.

Lee Cowden, MD states that there are very few symptoms where one should not consider Lyme, especially given that a quarter of the U.S. population may be affected. It is estimated that Lyme disease may be a contributing factor in more than 50% of chronically ill people.

The Sierra Integrative Medicine Clinic in Reno, Nevada, states that "Authorities estimate that up to 90 percent of the population could be carrying the Lyme spirochete and that Lyme is a factor in over 50 percent of chronic illnesses."