Lyme disease

Lyme disease, also known as Lyme borreliosis, is an infectious disease. It is caused by bacteria of the genus Borrelia. The disease is carried by ticks which are parasitic on mammals such as mice, deer, and people. In other words, ticks are the vector which transmits the disease.

It is the most common tick-borne infection in the United States. Although Allen Steere realized in 1978 that Lyme disease was a tick-borne disease, the cause of the disease remained a mystery until 1982. It can cause joint swelling, rashes, and neurological symptoms.^[1]

Lyme disease is treated with antibiotics. Depending on disease stage and antibiotic used, treatment is usually between 10 and 28 days.^[2]