Guidelines
Lyme Disease

Lyme Disease

Background

  • Lyme disease is caused by spirochetal bacteria of the genus Borrelia
  • In North America, the main causative agent is Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto
  • As a vector-borne zoonotic disease, the bacterium is transmitted through the bite of a species of Ixodes ticks, thus most cases occur during the warmer months when the ticks are active

On July 1, 2023, Tick-Borne Diseases (TBDs) Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis and Powassan virus (POWV) were designated reportable as Diseases of Public Health Significance (DoPHS)

  • These new pathogens are now reportable to public health
  • All three of these TBDs may be transmitted by the blacklegged tick (ixodes scapularis) which also
    spreads Lyme Disease

Emerging Tick-Borne Diseases: Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis and Powassan Virus INFORMATION FOR YORK REGION HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS

Additional Information

  1. Aguero-Rosenfeld ME, Wang G, Schwartz I, Wormser GP. Diagnosis of Lyme Borreliosis. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2005;18(3):484–509.
  2. Cameron DJ, Johnson LB, Maloney EL. Evidence assessments and guideline recommendations in Lyme disease: the clinical management of known tick bites, erythema migrans rashes and persistent disease. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther. 2014;12(9):1103–35.
  3. Nadelman RB. Erythema migrans. Infect Dis Clin North Am. 2015;29(2):211–39.
  4. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Lyme disease [Internet]. London (England): The Institute; 2018 [cited 2018 May]. Available from: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng95
  5. 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(9):1089–134.
  6. Onyett, H. Canadian Paediatric Society Practice Point. Lyme disease in Canada:Focus on children. 2014 (Updated 2019, reaffirmed 2020). Avaialable from https://www.cps.ca/en/documents/position/lyme-disease-children#ref1
  7. Public Health Ontario: Lyme Disease