Lyme disease

American  

[lahym] / laɪm /

noun

Pathology.

1. an acute inflammatory disease caused by a tick-borne spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi , characterized by recurrent episodes of decreasing severity in which joint swelling, fever, and rash occur, sometimes with cardiac or nervous system complications.

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Lyme disease British  

/ laɪm /

noun

1. a disease of domestic animals and humans, caused by the spirochaete Borrelia burghdorferi and transmitted by ticks, and variously affecting the joints, heart, and brain

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Lyme disease Scientific  

/ līm /

1. A disease caused by the bacterial spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, transmitted by deer ticks and characterized initially by a bull's-eye-shaped rash followed by flu-like symptoms such as fever, joint pain, and headache. If untreated, it can result in chronic arthritis and neurologic or cardiac dysfunction. It is named after Lyme, Connecticut, where it was first reported.

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Lyme disease Cultural  

1. An infection caused by a bacterium transmitted by the bite of a tick. If untreated, the disease can lead to, among other things, a serious form of chronic arthritis. Lyme disease is most prevalent in the wooded regions of the Northeast and the Middle West.

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Etymology

Origin of Lyme disease

After Lyme, Conn., where it was first described

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Lyme disease

The best way to avoid ticks and tick bites is to be vigilant in your surroundings, Foley said, noting that ticks can transmit other diseases such as Lyme disease.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2026

Marketers also claim thymosin-alpha, one of the more studied peptides, can help with immune function, Lyme disease and COVID-19.

From Salon ● Apr. 4, 2026

Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and French vaccine maker Valneva reported positive topline results from their phase three study of a vaccine candidate for Lyme disease.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 27, 2026

An older Lyme disease vaccine, Lymerix, from a predecessor company to GSK, was on the market from 1998 until it was withdrawn in 2002.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 23, 2026

Better established is Lyme disease, caused by a spirochete that we get from the bite of ticks carried by mice and deer.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond