Lyme disease - secondary

Alternative names:

early disseminated Lyme disease; stage 2 Lyme disease

Definition:

An early, disseminated inflammatory disease characterized by skin changes and neurological symptoms caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi transmitted by the bite of a deer tick.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

See Lyme disease for a description of the initial stages of the disease. Secondary Lyme disease develops within days to weeks after the tick bite, when the infection spreads via the lymph system or bloodstream. The skin, the central nervous system, and the musculoskeletal system may be affected. Symptoms may be intermittent and usually disappear after days or months. About 50% of those affected will develop skin lesions that are not associated with a bite. Involvement of the heart may occur in up to 10% of people. The incidence is 8 out of 100,000 people.

Update Date: 02/09/00
Updated by: J. Gordon Lambert, MD, Associate Medical Director, Utah Health Informatics and adam.com editorial