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Sep 8, 2008 7:47 am US/Eastern

Tick-Borne Diseases Surge On Nantucket

NANTUCKET (AP) ― Nantucket has seen a surge in the number of patients diagnosed with tick-borne diseases this year.

Nantucket Cottage Hospital's infection-control nurse Charlene Chadwick says there have already been 338 confirmed cases of tick-borne illnesses in 2008, compared to 257 all of last year.

This year's totals include 262 confirmed cases of Lyme disease, 59 positive tests for babesiosis, and 17 cases of ehrlichiosis, all record highs for the island which already ranks among the top counties in the United States for tick-borne illnesses.

Dr. Tim Lepore suspects there even more cases, because many go unreported.

The high number of tick-borne diseases is blamed on the island's huge population of deer, which serve as hosts for ticks.