Lyme Disease

Like most people, you have probably heard of Lyme disease but do not know much about the disorder. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that approximately 300,000 people are diagnosed annually with the condition. It is transmitted to humans through a bite from a blacklegged tick and can affect people of all ages.

Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi and is usually spread by ticks. However, it’s important to note that not all ticks carry the disease. Ixodes ticks are the most common kind to carry Lyme, but black-legged ticks also spread it on the West Coast.