An infectious disease caused by a spirochete, BORRELIA BURGDORFERI, which is transmitted chiefly by Ixodes dammini (see IXODES) and pacificus ticks in the United States and Ixodes ricinis (see IXODES) in Europe. It is a disease with early and late cutaneous manifestations plus involvement of the nervous system, heart, eye, and joints in variable combinations. The disease was formerly known as Lyme arthritis and first discovered at Old Lyme, Connecticut.

An infectious disease that is caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi.

An infectious disease transmitted by a tick bite.

Recurrent multisystemic infectious disease caused by a spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, which is transmitted chiefly by Ixodes ticks; it is a disease with early and late cutaneous manifestations plus involvement of the nervous system, heart, eye, and joints in variable combinations.

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection you get from the bite of an infected tick. At first, Lyme disease usually causes symptoms such as a rash, fever, headache, and fatigue. But if it is not treated early, the infection can spread to your joints, heart, and nervous system. Prompt treatment can help you recover quickly. Lyme disease is caused by bacteria. In the United States, this is usually a bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi. It spreads to humans through the bite of an infected tick. The ticks that spread it are blacklegged ticks (or deer ticks). They are usually found in the: Northeast; Mid-Atlantic; Upper Midwest; Pacific coast, especially northern California. These ticks can attach to any part of your body. But they are often found in hard-to-see areas such as your groin, armpits, and scalp. Usually, the tick must be attached to you for more than 24 hours to spread the bacterium to you. Most tick bites happen in the warmer months (April-September), when ticks are most active and people spend more time outdoors. But you can also get bitten during the rest of the year, especially if the temperatures are warmer than usual. Most tick bites happen in the summer months when ticks are most active and people spend more time outdoors. But you can get bitten in the warmer months of early fall, or even late winter if temperatures are unusually high. And if there is a mild winter, ticks may come out earlier than usual. Early symptoms of Lyme disease start between 3 to 30 days after an infected tick bites you. The symptoms can include: A red rash called erythema migrans (EM). Most people with Lyme disease get this rash. It gets bigger over several days and may feel warm. It is usually not painful or itchy. As it starts to get better, parts of it may fade. Sometimes this makes the rash look like a "bull's-eye."; Fever; Chills; Headache; Fatigue; Muscle and joint aches; Swollen lymph nodes ("swollen glands"). If the infection is not treated, it can spread to your joints, heart, and nervous system. The symptoms may include: Severe headaches and neck stiffness.; More EM rashes on other areas of your body.; Facial palsy, which is a weakness in your facial muscles. It can cause drooping on one or both sides of your face.; Arthritis with severe joint pain and swelling, especially in your knees and other large joints.; Pain that comes and goes in your tendons, muscles, joints, and bones.; Heart palpitations, which are feelings that your heart is skipping a beat, fluttering, pounding, or beating too hard or too fast.; An irregular heart beat (Lyme carditis).; Episodes of dizziness or shortness of breath.; Inflammation of the brain and spinal cord.; Nerve pain.; Shooting pains, numbness, or tingling in the hands or feet. To make a diagnosis, your health care provider will consider: Your symptoms; How likely it is that you were exposed to infected blacklegged ticks; How likely it is that you could have other illnesses that cause similar symptoms; The results of any lab tests. Most Lyme disease tests check for antibodies made by the body in response to infection. These antibodies can take several weeks to develop. If you are tested right away, it may not show that you have Lyme disease, even if you have it. So you may need to have another test later. Lyme disease is treated with antibiotics. The earlier you are treated, the better; it gives you the best chance of fully recovering quickly. After treatment, some patients may still have pain, fatigue, or difficulty thinking that lasts more than 6 months. This is called post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS). Researchers don't know why some people have PTLDS. There is no proven treatment for PTLDS; long-term antibiotics have not been shown to help. However, there are ways to help with the symptoms of PTLDS. If you have been treated for Lyme...

(borrelia burgdorferi infection) An infectious disease caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. Early manifestations of infection may include fever, headache, fatigue, depression, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans. Left untreated, late manifestations involving the joints, heart, and nervous system can occur.

Lyme disease is a tick-transmitted infection caused by the spirochete Borrelia species. Early symptoms include an erythema migrans rash, which may be followed weeks to months later by neurologic, cardiac, or joint abnormalities. Diagnosis is primarily clinical in early-stage disease, but serologic testing can help diagnose cardiac,...

Lyme disease is a multisystem illness caused by infection with the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi and the body's immune response to the infection. The disease is transmitted to humans via tick bites, from infected ticks of the genus Ixodes.

Lyme disease is caused by four main species of bacteria. Borrelia burgdorferi and Borrelia mayonii cause Lyme disease in the United States, while Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii are the leading causes in Europe and Asia. The most common tick-borne illness in these regions, Lyme disease is transmitted by the bite of an infected...

Lyme disease is the most common tickborne infectious disease in the United States. Early signs and symptoms of the condition include fever, chills, muscle pain, headache, and joint pain. As the condition progresses, affected people may experience heart problems, Bell's palsy, arthritis, abnormal muscle movement, speech problems and...

Lyme disease is a zoonotic infection caused by a spirochete of genus Borrelia , which is transmitted to humans by ticks. Zoonotic diseases are transmitted between vertebrate animals and humans. Animals serve as the primary reservoir of Borrelia . Ticks become infected by feeding on an infected animal. Most common initial manifestation is...

Lyme disease, tick-borne bacterial disease that was first conclusively identified in 1975 and is named for the town in Connecticut, U.S., in which it was first observed. The disease has been identified in every region of the United States and in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. Lyme disease is...