What is Lyme Disease?

According to the American Lyme Disease Foundation (ALDF), Lyme disease (LD) is an infection caused by a type of bacteria known as Borrelia Burgdorferi. This bacterium is called a spirochete (pronounced spy-ro-keet) and is carried by deer ticks. It is transmitted through an infected tick to humans and animals alike.

All possible cases of Lyme disease are reported to state and local health departments by health care providers and labs. Cases are typically classified by standard criteria using guidelines from the Center for Disease Control (CDC). 9

According to their data, each year approximately 30,000 cases of Lyme disease are reported by state health officials. However, as it is often misdiagnosed, this number does not reflect every case diagnosed in the United States. Surveillance systems do not capture every illness, and thus we cannot be sure how many people actually get Lyme disease.