State media outlets are reporting lyme disease is becoming more prevalent here after four recently diagnosed cases. Officials are trying to get the word out to physicians.

See here: http://www.wlos.com/template/inews_wire/wires.regional.nc/37c24796-www.wlos.com.shtml

The topic of false negatives in lyme disease testing always seems to come up among AT Thru's. The CDC indicates laboratory testing for the disease is more reliable in the later stages of the disease rather than the early stages.

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/lyme/ld_humandisease_diagnosis.htm

Knowing this, just give me the antibiotics Doc!

Many docs (YMMV) are starting to be a little more open to the thought of giving Doxycycline for hikers (well, mine was, anyway) since it is most effective against Lyme if taken within 24-48 hours of getting bit. I told my doc I was going for a 5 day hike in the Smokies, and he gave me a 1time script for it after a LONG chat about its use.

As an aside, Doxy is also effective against RMSF, plague(!) and Anthrax. Imagine that.

Ticks has been very active in NC as of late. I was around Falls Lake one day. And picked off about 20 ticks off my legs within a mile.

Its a shame that Lyme has spread that far.
Don't forget that there are other tick borne diseases that are present in the east.