Lyme Disease

Lyme Disease is a bacterial illness caused by a bacterium called a "spirochete." In the United States, the actual name of the bacterium is Borrelia burgdorferi. In Europe, the bacteria Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii also cause Lyme disease. Certain ticks frequently found on deer in various locations in the United States and Europe harbor the bacterium in their stomachs. Lyme disease is spread by these ticks who then bite the skin, which permits the bacterium to infect the body. Lyme disease is a tick-borne disease. Lyme disease is not contagious from an affected person to someone else. Lyme disease can cause abnormalities in the skin, joints, heart, and nervous system.

CDC - Lyme Disease Home Page:

http://www.cdc.gov/lyme/

Lyme Disease Symptoms and Treatment - WebMD:

http://www.webmd.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/arthritis-lyme-disease

Mayo Clinic:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lyme-disease/basics/definition/con-20019701