Lyme disease

Lyme disease or Lyme borreliosis is an infectious tick-borne disease, caused by the Borrelia spirochete, a gram-negative microorganism.

Transmission

Borrelia are parasites, not what we think of as bacteria in the usual sense.

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Ixodes rinicus, the wood tick (a.k.a. black-legged deer tick) has been identified as the key to the disease's spread. This condition had been described in medical literature dating back to the early twentieth century but little to no research had been done until Lyme disease was reintroduced to the medical field in the late 1970s.

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The number of cases of the disease have been increasing, as are endemic regions in the United States. Lyme disease is reported in nearly every state in the U.S., but there are concentrated areas in the northeast, mid-Atlantic states, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and northern California. Lyme disease is endemic to Europe and Asia.

Related Topics:
Wisconsin - Minnesota - California - Asia

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Lyme disease has been proven to be congenitally passed from an infected mother to fetus through the placenta during pregnancy. There is some anecdotal, largely unconfirmed evidence of sexual transmission.

Related Topics:
Placenta - Sexual transmission

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It is not necessary for the tick to be attached for 24 hours or longer in order for disease transmission to occur; however, the longer the duration of tick attachment, the greater the risk of disease transmission. Even short-term attachment can result in transmission of the disease. Also, improper tick removal can result in early disease transmission so it is very important to remove a tick properly.

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