Borrelia burgdorferi transmitted by the bite of a deer tick . Most cases occur in the Northeast, upper Midwest, and along the Pacific coast. Mice and deer are the most commonly infected animals that serve as host to the tick .
Most infections occur in the summer.
The disease is difficult to diagnose, because the symptoms mimic other diseases. A few months after the bite, muscle paralysis , joint inflammation , neurological symptoms and sometimes heart symptoms may occur. The initial infection is called primary Lyme disease . Secondary Lyme disease and tertiary Lyme disease may develop. The information provided herein should not be used for diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition.