A team of researchers from the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station recently published a study that found most of the towns and cities in New London County are at high to moderate risk for Lyme disease.

The study published in the journal "Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases" analyzed more than 30,000 deer ticks over the last 20 years. It found that the number of ticks carrying the agent that causes Lyme disease was higher in the lower-population counties of New London, Tolland and Windham. The frequency of people contracting Lyme disease was also highest in these counties.

The study included a map that illustrated the risk of each county in Connecticut. According to the map, New London, Old Lyme, Preston and Waterford are at high risk for Lyme disease. East Lyme, Ledyard, Lyme, Montville, Norwich, North Stonington, Salem and Stonington were all found to be at moderate risk. Only Groton was found to be at lower risk.

Dr. Goudarz Molaei, one of the researchers who contributed to the study, said that risk was due to a wide variety of factors.

“Despite the fact that juvenile ticks see a rate of infection that is 10 percent lower than adults, they can pose a greater risk,” Molaei said. “They are so small and the more rural landscapes of counties at higher risk contribute to the results. During the period of late May to early July we see peak activity from these juvenile ticks and from people going outside.”

He said that knowledge from this study and efforts to educate the public on Lyme disease can help people avoid infection. He stressed the importance of awareness as the rate of infected ticks is a little more than 40 percent this year. This would make it one of the highest rates ever and well above the average, which is 33 percent.

“Local and state governments could take a more proactive role to provide more assistance and knowledge to populations at high risk,” Molaei said. “One big way that Lyme disease is able to thrive in these rural areas is the large deer and rodent populations. Providing resources to home owners and actively involving health care officials would be two ways we could help combat these risks.”

Lyme disease affects more than 329,000 people in the United States annually, and 95 percent of all reported cases are from 14 states. Connecticut had the eighth-highest incidence rate in the country in 2017, according to the latest available data.

The disease can start from a single small bite. If the bite develops a rash or bullseye, a trip to the doctor is recommended. The disease can start with flu-like symptoms, but left unchecked it can develop into extreme headaches, heart issues or even arthritis.

Researchers are encouraging anyone in high-risk areas to send in any ticks they find to CAES. Researchers, who rely on ticks submitted by Connecticut residents, especially encourage those in high risk areas to send in ticks to help provide more hard data for future studies. Last year they received 3,273 deer ticks from across the state of Connecticut. Of those, 1,253 were found to be carrying Lyme disease.

Protective measures against ticks can include checking yourself when leaving the woods, wearing mosquito spray and tucking your pants into your socks.