New Bacterial Species Borrelia mayonii Found to Cause Lyme Disease

Following up on unusual test results from six patients with suspected Lyme disease, the CDC working in collaboration with Mayo Clinic and health officials have found a new bacteria to be the causative agent of Lyme disease in humans - provisionally named Borrelia mayonii the new species is closely related to B. burgdorferi.

Until now, B. burgdorferi was the only species believed to cause Lyme disease in North America. Read more here: www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2016/p0208-lyme-disease.html