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Lyme disease - chronic persistent - Overview

Alternative Names

Tertiary Lyme disease; Stage 3 Lyme disease; Late persistent Lyme disease

Definition of Lyme disease - chronic persistent:

Chronic persistent Lyme disease is a late stage of an inflammatory disease caused by Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria. It is also called Stage 3, or tertiary, Lyme disease.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Lyme disease is transmitted by the bite of a deer tick. Tertiary Lyme disease occurs months to years after the initial infection with Lyme disease.

Lyme disease organism, Borrelia burgdorferi

Deer ticks

Ticks

Lyme disease - Borrelia burgdorferi organism

Tertiary Lyme disease

Tick imbedded in the skin

Reviewed last on: 5/20/2008
Jatin M. Vyas, PhD, MD, Instructor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Feder HM Jr, Johnson BJ, O'Connell S, Shapiro ED, Steere AC, Wormser GP. Ad Hoc International Lyme Disease Group. A critical appraisal of "chronic Lyme disease." N Engl J Med. 2007;357:1422-1430.

Halperin JJ, Shapiro ED, Logigian E, Belman AL, Dotevall L, Wormser GP, et al. Practice parameter: treatment of nervous system Lyme disease (an evidence-based review): report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology. Neurology. 2007;69:91-102.

Wormser GP, Dattwyler RJ, Shapiro ED, Halperin JJ, Steere AC, Klempner MS, et al. The clinical assessment, treatment, and prevention of Lyme disease, human granulocytic anaplasmosis, and babesiosis: clinical practice guidelines by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Clin Infect Dis. 2006;43:1089:1134.

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