Highlights & Basics
- Lyme disease is an infectious disease transmitted to humans through the bite of infected ticks.
- Erythema migrans develops at the site of tick bite usually within 1 to 2 weeks and is a pathognomic feature.
- Constitutional symptoms such as fever, headache, myalgias, fatigue, and arthralgias may occur.
- Complications of Lyme disease may be neurologic, cardiac, or musculoskeletal.
- Mainstay of treatment is antibiotic therapy.
Quick Reference
History & Exam
Key Factors
Other Factors
Diagnostics Tests
Treatment Options
Definition
Epidemiology
Etiology
Pathophysiology
Images
Erythema migrans
Erythema migrans
Borrelial lymphocytoma
Acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans
Deer tick (or blacklegged tick), Ixodes scapularis, as it was questing on a blade of grass
Under a high magnification, this digitally-colorized scanning electron micrograph depicts three gram-negative, anaerobic, Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria, which had been derived from a pure culture
Posterior right shoulder region of a patient with Lyme disease showing erythema migrans
Lateral aspect of the left thigh of a patient who'd presented with what was diagnosed as Lyme disease showing the characteristic red, expanding rash (erythema migrans)
This Lyme disease patient presented with the signs and symptoms indicative of arthritic changes to his right knee due to a Borrelia burgdorferi bacterial infection
Citations
Lantos PM, Rumbaugh J, Bockenstedt LK, et al. Clinical practice guidelines by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), American Academy of Neurology (AAN), and American College of Rheumatology (ACR): 2020 guidelines for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease. Clin Infect Dis. 2021 Jan 23;72(1):e1-48.[Abstract][Full Text]
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC Yellow Book 2024: health information for international travel. Section 5: travel-associated infections & diseases - Lyme disease. May 2023 [internet publication].[Full Text]
Mead P, Petersen J, Hinckley A. Updated CDC recommendation for serologic diagnosis of lyme disease. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2019 Aug 16;68(32):703.[Abstract][Full Text]
Mygland A, Ljøstad U, Fingerle V, et al; European Federation of Neurological Societies. EFNS guidelines on the diagnosis and management of European Lyme neuroborreliosis. Eur J Neurol. 2010 Jan;17(1):8-16;e1-4.[Abstract][Full Text]
American Academy of Pediatrics. Lyme disease. In: Kimberlin DW, Brady MT, Jackson MA, eds. Red Book: 2018 Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases. 31st ed. Itasca, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics; 2018: 515-23.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Lyme disease. Oct 2018 [internet publication].[Full Text]
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