What is "Lyme Disease"?

Lyme disease is a condition caused by human exposure (by
biting) to ticks that are infected with a bacteria called Borrelia
burgdorferi, which is a spirochete. A spirochete, in turn, is a bacteria in
the shape of a worm which causes diseases such as
syphillis.

Lyme disease was not identified until the mid
1970's in the town of Lyme, CT, when parents of a group of kids diagnosed with R.A.
(Rheumatoid Arthritis) after also being told that they had a bacterial infection. Since
the two do not go together (RA is not a consequence of bacterial infection, nor vice
versa) the parents further investigated with the result that in 1982 the disease finally
was classified and named as "Lyme disease."

The symptoms of
this condition manifest themselves in three stages: The early stage is the initial bite,
where the bacteria gets punctured into the skin, leaving a huge rash with flu-like
symptoms. The second stage affects the nerves and some muscles, such as the heart. The
last stage involves brain damage.

Most cases can be treated
with antibiotics, but prevention is the best cure.