[DoD] – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported this week that Lyme disease is ten times more common in the United States than researchers previously thought, striking 300,000 people annually.

CDC officials took a look at several studies and found many Lyme disease cases are often misdiagnosed because the symptoms are very similar to the flu. Researchers found the majority of Lyme cases are in the Northeast.

Previously, about 30,000 cases were reported nationally each year. The new figure comes from reviews of several laboratories, a patient survey and insurance information.

Dr. Paul Mead, the CDC’s chief of epidemiology and surveillance for its Lyme disease program, says “this new preliminary estimate confirms that Lyme disease is a tremendous public health problem in the United States, and clearly highlights the urgent need for prevention.”

Navy Cmdr. Timothy Whitman, an infectious disease physician at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, says after spending any amount of time in grassy or wooded areas, check your entire body for ticks and tick bites. If you locate a tick on your body, use tweezers as close to the tick’s head as possible to carefully pull it completely out.

Visit Health.mil to find out more about how you can be vigilant to prevent Lyme disease.