Lyme 101

The History of Lyme Disease

The history of Lyme disease in the US began in the town Old Lyme, Connecticut in 1975 when a group of children and adults residing in the area experienced uncommon arthritic symptoms. By 1977, the first 51 cases of Lyme arthritis were described, and the Ixodes scapularis (black-legged) tick was linked to the transmission of the disease. It was during 1982, that Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme disease, was discovered and the first brochure addressing Lyme disease was developed by the Arthritis Foundation. Serology testing became widely available in Connecticut during 1984 and in 1987, Lyme disease became a reportable disease. All physicians were required to report any and all cases of the disease. By 1988, the news of Lyme disease spread and national media attention began. The first federal funding for Lyme disease surveillance, education, and research became available in 1991. In 1997, the first Lyme disease vaccine became available. To help determine the efficacy of the vaccine, Lyme disease was made laboratory reportable in 1998. However, the manufacturer withdrew the vaccine from the market in 2002 citing poor sales. A number of factors can be speculated to have contributed to the decision by GlaxoSmithKline. These include the negative publicity linked to unconfirmed adverse events, a looming class action lawsuit, safety concerns resulting in a reduction in public confidence. In 2002, the vaccine efficacy study ended, and Lyme disease was removed from the list of laboratory reportable findings; however, it still remains a physician reportable disease.

What is Lyme Disease?

Lyme Disease is an infection caused by Borrelia Burgdorferi, a type of bacterium called a spirochete that is transmitted by the bite of a deer tick.It is most commonly transmitted to you by a "nymph" tick which are the tiny ticks that can often be no larger than a speck of black pepper.  Although other types of ticks have been shown to carry Borrelia Burgdorferi, there is no current data to support that they have transmitted the disease to humans. Lyme Disease is considered to be more prevalent in certain regions of the U.S. such as the northeast and upper Midwest, however, Lyme Disease is prevalent across the United States and throughout the world. As stated by ILADS: "Ticks know no borders and respect no boundaries. A patients county of residence does not accurately reflect his or her Lyme disease risk because people travel, pets travel, and ticks travel. This creates a dynamic situation with many opportunities for exposure to Lyme disease for each individual."

An infected tick can transmit the spirochete to humans and other animals it bites and if not treated in a timely manner, the organism travels throughout the bloodstream and establishes itself in various body tissues, resulting in a number of symptoms, many of which are severe and can ultimately lead to death.

 Studies have shown that an infected tick normally cannot begin transmitting the spirochete until it has been attached to its host about 36-48 hours; the best line of defense against LD, therefore, is to examine yourself at least once daily and remove any ticks before they become engorged (swollen) with blood.

The symptoms of Lyme can vary but typically can be categorized based on the known three stages of the Lyme infection.  Click HERE to learn more about the 3 Stages of Lyme Disease and to learn about the signs and symptoms associated with each stage.