Checking for ticks after a quick romp outside may seem tedious, but a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests it's time well spent.

The number of counties in the northeast with a high incidence of Lyme disease shot up from 43 to 182 between 1993 and 2012.More than 30,000 cases of Lyme disease are reported to the CDC each year, though estimates indicate 300,000 people are infected with the tick-borne illness every year.Lyme disease cases in Carbon County have significantly increased over the years.From 1992-96, only 11 cases of the disease were reported. That number skyrocketed to 131 between 2007 and 2011.In 2014, Carbon checked in with 41 confirmed cases, compared to 36 in Schuylkill County.Everyone should check for ticks after spending time outdoors, said Kara B. Mascitti, infectious disease specialist at St. Luke's Hospital in Bethlehem."July and August are when we definitely see a peak in Lyme disease cases," she said. "We don't have data on how many positive cases we have had, but it is a busy time of year. We're also noting some people presenting with atypical rashes this year. Sometimes they are confused with other diseases, but end up being Lyme disease."Lyme disease, first identified in 1975, is transmitted through the bite of infected black-legged ticks. Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans. If left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart and the nervous system.Kiersten Kugeler, lead author of the CDC report, said ticks' natural predators, like white mice, are being driven out of wooded areas as forests are cleared for development or other reasons."With fewer predators to attack, coupled with a climate change and warmer temperatures, ticks are infecting more and more people," she said.Local issueBrenda Simmons was diagnosed with Lyme disease in September of last year. The Jim Thorpe resident said she is still trying different treatments with no relief."Chronic Lyme disease is no joke," she said. "It is mentally, physically and financially debilitating. We need to increase awareness in our area. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy."A PICC line, likely the most commonly performed procedure for intravenous antibiotic therapy, didn't work for Christina Rehrig's fiancée."He still suffers," she said.Karalyn Dietrich, a Summit Hill resident recently diagnosed in late July, said the disease is no joke."I think I got bit when I was 12 and my family was not aware what to look for," Dietrich said. "People really need to know signs and symptoms. This disease can take over your whole body from head to toe in a blink of an eye."No state has a bigger Lyme disease problem than Pennsylvania. It has led the way in confirmed cases for the past five years.Since 2013-14, the number of cases has gone up by 25 percent.Recently released 2014 Lyme statistics show increases in reported Lyme cases in most counties in the state.Pennsylvania has its first-ever Lyme disease Task Force and the group's findings and recommendations will be announced later this year.The task force, comprised of health experts and other stakeholders, was formed last year through an act of the General Assembly. It is charged with investigating the problem and developing recommendations regarding education and awareness, prevention and surveillance of Lyme disease.Signs and treatmentA classic red bull's-eye rash is a good indicator that Lyme disease may be present.It will appear in 70 to 80 percent of infected people in three to 30 days."Lyme disease is hard to diagnose in a lot of ways," Mascitti said. "The blood test we have can be difficult to interpret. You could have the rash, but the blood test may not be positive. A clinician has to be familiar with what Lyme looks like. Early Lyme disease is a clinical diagnosis."Early tick removal is key as it 36 to 48 hours for an infected tick to transmit the disease, she added.A pair of fine-tipped tweezers can be used to remove the tick, but the CDC urges people not to paint the tick with nail polish or use heat to detach it.Dr. Christina Nelson, a medical epidemiologist with the CDC's division of vector-borne disease, said those methods are urban legend.A Lyme disease test doesn't test directly for bacteria, it tests for patients' antibodies."Three or four weeks down the road we can do a confirmatory test, but if they get treated quickly, they won't develop those antibodies," Mascitti added.Left untreated, the disease can spread to the joints, heart and nervous system.Doxycycline is effective for treating early Lyme disease in people ages 8 and older."We generally recommend three weeks of antibiotics," Mascitti said.Other common antibiotics used for treatment include amoxicillin, or cefuroxime axetil.Patients with certain neurological or cardiac forms of illness may require intravenous treatment with drugs such as ceftriaxone or penicillin, according to the CDC.