Lyme Disease
- Lyme Disease Overview
- Lyme Disease Causes
- Lyme Disease Symptoms
- When to Seek Medical Care
- Questions to Ask the Doctor
- Exams and Tests
- Lyme Disease Treatment
- Self-Care at Home
- Medications
- Next Steps
- Follow-up
- Prevention
- Outlook
- Multimedia
- Synonyms and Keywords
- Author and Editor
- Pictures of Lyme Disease - Slideshow

- Related Lyme disease articles:
Lyme disease - on WebMD
Lyme disease - on MedicineNet - Viewer Comments: Lyme Disease - How Was Diagnosis Established
Lyme Disease Overview
Lyme disease, sometimes referred to as Lyme infection, is a bacterial illness, transmitted to humans by the bite of deer ticks (Ixodes ticks) carrying a bacterium known as Borrelia burgdorferi. The disease has been reported in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, North Central, and Pacific coastal regions of the United States (see map) and in Europe, where it was first described almost 100 years ago. It is most prevalent in the northeastern states of the United States, with about half of all cases clustered in New York and Connecticut.
Doctors at New Haven's Yale Medical Center first described and named Lyme disease in the United States in the late 1970s. An unexpected number of residents in Lyme, Connecticut, were found to have a "new" and unusual illness.
- Fortunately, less than 5% of tick bites in high-contact areas result in Lyme infections.
- Doctors have learned a great deal about the illness since that original cluster of people was observed. Treatments are available for Lyme disease.
Next: Lyme Disease Causes »
Viewer Comments & Reviews
Lyme Disease - How Was Diagnosis Established
How was the diagnosis of your lyme disease established?
| Printer-Friendly Format | | | Email to a Friend |
Women's Health
Find out what women really need.
From WebMD
Infectious Disease Resources
- Photos: Coping With Cold Sores
- Do Antibacterial Soaps Really Help Prevent Illness?
- Is Your House Making You Sick?
Featured Centers
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
Read What Your Physician is Reading on eMedicine
Lyme Disease »
Lyme disease is due to infection with the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi and the body's immune response to the infection.
Explore 80+ Centers
- Allergy
- Allergy Medications
- Anaphylaxis
- Antidepressants
- Anxiety
- Arthritis
- Asthma
- Baby's Health
- Back, Neck, Head Injury
- Bioterrorism, Warfare
- Blood, Lymphatic System
- Bone, Joint, Muscle
- Brain, Nervous System
- Breathing Difficulties
- Burns
- Camping
- Cancer, Tumors
- Children's Health
- Cholesterol
- Cold and Flu
- CPR, Choking
- Cuts, Scrapes, Bruises
- Dementia
- Depression
- Diabetes
- Diabetic Coma, Insulin Shock
- Digestive System
- Dislocations
- Drowning
- Drug Overdose
- Ear, Nose, Throat
- Emotional Wellness
- Endocrine System
- Environmental Injuries
- Erectile Dysfunction
- Exercise, Nutrition
- Eye, Vision
- Fainting
- Fever
- First Aid, Emergency
- First Aid Kits
- Food Poisoning
- Foreign Bodies
- Fractures, Broken Bones
- Glaucoma
- Headache
- Health, Medical
- Heartburn, GERD, Reflux
- Heart, Blood Vessels
- Heart Attack
- Hepatitis
- Immune System
- Incontinence
- Infections
- Kidneys, Urinary System
- Lung, Airway
- Medications
- Men's Health
- Mental Health, Behavior
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Nosebleeds
- Osteoporosis
- Outdoor Living
- Overexposure
- Poisoning
- Procedures
- Psoriasis
- Public Health
- Scuba Diving, Swimming
- Seizures
- Senior Health
- Shock
- Skin, Hair, Nails
- Sleep Disorders
- Social, Family Health
- Sports Injury
- Sprains, Strains
- Statins
- STDs
- Substance Abuse
- Teen Health
- Teeth, Mouth, Oral Health
- Weight Management
- Wilderness Emergencies
- Women's Health
- Wounds


