Lyme disease causes

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Overview

Lyme disease is caused by Gram-negative spirochetal bacteria from the genus Borrelia. At least 37 Borrelia species have been described, 12 of which are Lyme related. The Borrelia species known to cause Lyme disease are collectively known as Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, and have been found to have greater strain diversity than previously estimated.^[1]

Until recently it was thought that only three genospecies caused Lyme disease: B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (predominant in North America, but also in Europe), B. afzelii, and B. garinii (both predominant in Eurasia). However, newly discovered genospecies have also been found to cause disease in humans.

Causes

Borrelia bacteria, the causative agent of Lyme disease. Magnified 400 times. — *Borrelia* bacteria, the causative agent of Lyme disease. Magnified 400 times.

Lyme disease is caused by bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi (B. burgdorferi). Blacklegged ticks carry these bacteria. The ticks pick up the bacteria when they bite mice or deer that are infected with Lyme disease. You can get the disease if you are bitten by an infected tick.

Lyme disease was first reported in the United States in the town of Old Lyme, Connecticut, in 1975. In the United States, most Lyme disease infections occur in the following areas:

Northeastern states, from Virginia to Maine
North-central states, mostly in Wisconsin and Minnesota
West Coast, particularly northern California

Important facts about tick bites and Lyme disease

In most cases, a tick must be attached to your body for 24 - 36 hours to spread the bacteria to your blood.
Blacklegged ticks can be so small that they are almost impossible to see. Many people with Lyme disease never even saw a tick on their body.
Most people who are bitten by a tick do not get Lyme disease.

Gallery

Dorsal view of an adult female western blacklegged tick, whichs transmit Borrelia burgdorferi (agent of Lyme disease). From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[2]
Dorsal view of an adult female western blacklegged tick, whichs transmit Borrelia burgdorferi (agent of Lyme disease). From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[2]
Dorsal view of engorged female tick, extracted from the skin of a pet cat (26X mag). From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[2]
Dorsal view of engorged female tick in the process of obtaining its blood meal (207X magnification). From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[2]
Scanning electron micrographic (SEM) image depicts dorsal view of engorged female tick (201X magnification). From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[2]
Photomicrographic montage using the immunofluorescent antibody technique (IFA) used to produce this B. burgdorferi multicolored image. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[2]
Lateral view of female deer tick, Ixodes scapularis, with its abdomen engorged with a host blood meal.From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[2]
Peripheral blood from a newborn child indicates the presence of numerous Borrelia hermsii spirochetes (arrows), consistent with a tickborne relapsing fever (TBRF) infection. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[2]
Dorsal view of a soft tick, Ornithodoros hermsi, which is a known vector for the disease tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF) (6.5x mag). From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[2]
Deer tick, Ixodes scapularis. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[2]
Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria derived from a pure culture. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[2]
Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria derived from a pure culture. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[2]
Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria derived from a pure culture.From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[2]
Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria derived from a pure culture. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[2]
Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria derived from a pure culture. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[2]
Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria derived from a pure culture. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[2]
Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria derived from a pure culture. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[2]
Dorsal view of engorged female tick in the process of obtaining its blood meal (201x mag). From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[2]
Dorsal view of engorged female tick, extracted from the skin of a pet cat (26x mag). From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[2]
Male Dermacentor sp. tick found upon a cat (95x mag). From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[2]
Dorsal view of male Dermacentor sp. tick found on a cat (3043x mag). From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[2]
Dorsal view of a female "lone star tick", Amblyomma americanum. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[2]
Anterior view of engorged female "lone star tick", Amblyomma americanum. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[2]
Ventral view of engorged female "lone star tick" Amblyomma americanum. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[2]
“Corkscrew-shaped” bacteria known as Borrelia burgdorferi, the pathogen responsible for causing Lyme disease (400x mag). From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[2]
White-footed mouse, Peromyscus leucopus, which is a wild rodent reservoir host of ticks, which are known to carry the bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi, responsible for Lyme disease. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[2]
This photograph of a whitetail deer, Odocoileus virginianus, was taken during a Lyme disease field investigation in 1993. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[2]
This is a dorsal view of the “soft tick” Carios kelleyi, formerly Ornithodoros kelleyi, or the “Bat Tick”. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[2]
This is a dorsal view of the “soft tick” Carios kelleyi, formerly Ornithodoros kelleyi, or the “Bat Tick”. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[2]
This is a female “Lone star tick”, Amblyomma americanum, and is found in the southeastern and midatlantic United States. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[2]
These "black-legged ticks", Ixodes scapularis, also referred to as I. dammini, are found on a wide rage of hosts including mammals, birds and reptiles.From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[2]
Histopathology showing Borrelia burgdorferi spirochetes in Lyme disease. Dieterle silver stain.From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[2]
“Corkscrew-shaped” bacteria known as Borrelia burgdorferi, which is the pathogen responsible for causing Lyme disease (400x mag). From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[2]