Lyme disease

Lyme disease is an infection transmitted by certain ticks and caused by bacteria in the genus Borrelia. It can begin with an expanding skin rash and progress to neurological, cardiac, or joint problems.

Borrelia burgdorferi: A spirochete bacterium that causes most Lyme disease cases in North America. It is the principal North American species responsible for the infection.
Two-tier testing for Lyme disease: A serologic diagnostic approach using an initial assay followed by a second test when indicated. It is the standard laboratory approach for supporting many Lyme diagnoses.
Southern tick-associated rash illness: A rash illness associated with tick bites in the southeastern United States, with an uncertain cause. Its rash can resemble erythema migrans, but it is not established as Lyme disease.
Old Lyme, Connecticut: A town in Connecticut associated with the cluster of childhood arthritis cases that led to recognition of Lyme disease. The town gave the disease its name after the 1970s investigation.
Lyme arthritis: Joint inflammation caused by Lyme disease, often affecting one or a few large joints. Joint disease is a recognized later manifestation of untreated infection.
Ixodes scapularis: A hard-bodied tick that transmits Lyme disease in eastern and central North America. This tick is a major vector of Borrelia in the eastern United States.
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay: A laboratory method that detects antibodies or antigens through enzyme-linked signal generation. It commonly serves as the first serologic test in Lyme evaluation.
Rocky Mountain spotted fever: A potentially severe tick-borne infection caused by the bacterium Rickettsia rickettsii. It is another tick-borne illness that requires distinct diagnosis and treatment.
Allen Steere: An American rheumatologist who investigated the arthritis cluster near Lyme, Connecticut. His clinical investigation helped define the illness as a distinct syndrome.
Lyme disease vaccine: A vaccine designed to prevent Lyme disease by inducing immunity against Borrelia or its transmission. Vaccination has been pursued as a way to prevent infection, with availability varying over time.

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