Overview
- A Herkimer County resident fell ill in late June 2025 and testing later confirmed infection with Borrelia mayonii, the first documented locally acquired case in New York.
- A CDC-led tick survey that examined nearly 1,600 ticks across 24 counties detected B. mayonii only on the patient’s property, with higher infection in adult ticks pointing to an established local vertebrate reservoir.
- Public-health researchers note B. mayonii is rarer than the usual Lyme agent (Borrelia burgdorferi) and may produce different or more severe symptoms; the Herkimer patient recovered after treatment with doxycycline.
- Health officials say regional Lyme burden is rising at the same time, with Ohio reporting a record 2,799 confirmed cases in 2025 and Michigan recording a recent short-term increase, prompting stepped-up surveillance and alerts.
- Officials urge quick tick removal (within 24 hours), use of EPA-registered repellents, protective clothing, pet protection, and prompt medical evaluation—doctors may consider a single-dose or short-course doxycycline in early exposure cases.