New Lyme Disease Bacteria Discovered: CDC
By Robert Preidt
Infection may trigger nausea, vomiting and a more widespread rash, officials say. A new Lyme disease-causing bacteria has been identified in the United States, and it may bring even worse symptoms, health officials said.
Borrelia burgdorferi was the only bacteria species believed to cause Lyme disease in North America -- until this new discovery, the researchers said. The newly-identified bacteria, called Borrelia mayonii, appears closely related to B. burgdorferi, say a team from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "This discovery adds another important piece of information to the complex picture of tick-borne diseases in the United States," CDC microbiologist Jeannine Petersen said in an agency news release.