CLEMSON, South Carolina — As the rate of Lyme disease grows rapidly across the United States, new research offers veterinarians a forecasting map that tells them which parts of the country are most at risk of Lyme disease infections in dogs, which could also help track and predict Lyme disease in people.

Monthly data from veterinarians across the country feed into a new Lyme disease forecast map. Data show the prevalence of the disease and the increased territory of the ticks that spread the disease.

The forecast map, created by Christopher McMahan, an assistant professor of mathematical sciences at Clemson University, and Michael Yabsley, a parasitologist at the University of Georgia, shows the predicted Lyme disease prevalence — the percentage of dogs who are likely to test positive — in each of the 48 contiguous states. It draws on monthly test data from veterinarians, providing the most timely picture of Lyme disease cases available.