where is lyme disease endemic
Lyme disease is endemic in North America, Europe, and Asia, and the distribution of the vectors directly affects the incidence of the disease. Ixodes scapularis is the principal vector found in the Northeast and Central United States and Canada, whereas Ixodes pacificus is more common on the Pacific coast.
In the United States, most infections occur in endemic areas: California, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and from northeastern Virginia to Maine. In 2011, 96 percent of Lyme disease cases were reported from those states. Fortunately for Montana, there is no evidence of endemic Lyme disease or Lyme-related ticks in our state. From 2003-2012, only 49 cases of Lyme disease were reported in Montana and all of the confirmed cases occurred in persons with a history of travel to areas with endemic Lyme disease.
An adult deer tick. (Wiki). An earlier version of this story indicated that certain counties in Alabama had been suffering from an epidemic, or suddenly increased number of cases of Lyme disease. The disease is 'endemic' to these counties,  which indicates a constant presence in an area. Calhoun, Chambers, Jefferson, Mobile, Shelby, Russell and Tuscaloosa counties have been declared areas endemic to Lyme disease, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health. Lyme disease is caused by certain ticks and can cause extreme health problems.