Lyme Disease Lyme disease is caused by a microscopic, spirally coiled bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi. This organism is spread by an infected tick, Ixodes dammini, in the eastern United States and by Ixodes pacifica in the western United States. Because these ticks are commonly found on the white-tailed deer, they have become known as deer ticks, but mice, birds, dogs, squirrels, and several other mammals, including humans, are used as hosts. Lyme disease got its name from Olde Lyme, Connecticut, where the first recognized outbreak occurred around I975. The ticks, only the size of pepper flakes, are much smaller than the familiar dog tick, and hence much more difficult to spot on a body. If an infected tick stays attached to a human for several hours, the Borrelia organism can enter the body and begin to multiply, spreading through the blood system and ultimately into tissues. The effects of their invasion show up in several ways ranging from flu-like symptoms to loss of muscle control, and can suddenly disappear or reoccur several years later. Host animals such as deer and mice aren't affected by Lyme disease, only humans and domestic animals. Click [HERE] for more Field Notes.

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