What is Lyme disease caused by?

Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. This spirochete bacterium is primarily transmitted to humans through the bite of infected black-legged ticks, also known as deer ticks. The disease often manifests with symptoms such as fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans, which can appear several days to weeks after an infected tick bite.

Understanding the causative agent is crucial for effective prevention and treatment strategies. For instance, awareness of the ticks that carry Borrelia burgdorferi and the environments where they thrive can help individuals take precautions to avoid tick bites. This aspect of prevention is particularly important given the geographical spread of Lyme disease in various regions, including parts of Kentucky.

Other choices do not relate to Lyme disease. While Aedes aegypti is a mosquito known for transmitting diseases like dengue and Zika, parasitic larvae of flies don’t cause Lyme disease, and rabid mammals are associated with rabies, not Lyme disease.