NEW SPECIES OF BACTERIA DISCOVERED CAUSES LYME DISEASE

Abstract

A new species of bacteria, Borrelia Mayonii, has recently been discovered in the upper Midwest portion of the country by members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Mayo Clinic. Previously, it was believed that the only bacteria capable of causing lyme disease in North America was B. bugdorferi. However, that belief soon changed when the lab results of six newly infected individuals came back with unusual results. After additional DNA testing, it was found that the culprit behind the infections was B. Mayonii, a closely related species to B. bugdorferi. The genetic similarities between the two bacteria may explain why they are both able infect individuals in similar ways.