EnglishLyme Disease
Lyme disease is caused by the bacteria Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii primarily in Europe, and Borrelia burgdorferi primarily in North America, and is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected deer tick. Typically, the first symptom of Lyme disease is a rash that starts as a small red spot at the site of the tick bite and gets larger; the rash may look like a bull's eye— a red ring around a clear area with a red center. Other symptoms are similar to those of the flu. Left untreated, the disease can progress to involvement of the joints, heart, and central nervous system. Once these symptoms appear, successful treatment may become more difficult to achieve. For this reason, early diagnosis and treatment are extremely beneficial.
Screening tests are designed to be very sensitive, so almost everyone who has Lyme disease will test positive. If the screening test is negative, it is highly unlikely that the person has Lyme disease.