Origin
The disease is named after the town of Lyme, Connecticut, USA, where a number of cases were identified in 1975. Although Allen Steere realized Lyme disease was a tick-borne disease in 1978, the cause of the disease remained a mystery until 1981, when B. burgdorferi was identified by Willy Burgdorfer.
Borrelia burgdorferisensu stricto is the main cause of Lyme disease in the United States, whereas Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii cause most European cases. Borrelia is transmitted to humans by the bite of infected ticks belonging to a few species of the genus lxodes ("hard ticks").
Borrelia burgdorferisensu stricto is the main cause of Lyme disease in the United States, whereas Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii cause most European cases. Borrelia is transmitted to humans by the bite of infected ticks belonging to a few species of the genus lxodes ("hard ticks").
