Human cases of tick-borne Lyme disease rise in Michigan

The bacteria can transfer when they bite a human or animal and can cause Lyme disease, a serious infection that can be permanently debilitating when it's not treated early and well.

There were less than 30 human cases of Lyme disease reported in Michigan in every year between 2000 and 2004, according to a recent study by Jean Tsao, an associate professor in Michigan State University's departments of fisheries and wildlife and large animal clinical sciences.

Erik Foster, an entomologist with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and co-author of the study, said doctors also don't always report finding Lyme disease to their local public health department.