Lyme disease is best described as which of the following?

Lyme disease is best described as which of the following?

• A. It is transmitted by mosquitoes
• B. It is a fungal infection
• C. It is a parasitic disease transmitted by ticks
• D. It is a bacterial disease transmitted by the blacklegged tick

Answer: (D)

Lyme disease is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, a bacterium, not a fungus or a parasite. It is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected blacklegged tick (the deer tick), and the pathogen is passed when the tick remains attached for a period. So the best description is a bacterial disease transmitted by the blacklegged tick. The other options misidentify the organism, the vector, or the nature of the disease.

Lyme disease is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, a bacterium, not a fungus or a parasite. It is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected blacklegged tick (the deer tick), and the pathogen is passed when the tick remains attached for a period. So the best description is a bacterial disease transmitted by the blacklegged tick. The other options misidentify the organism, the vector, or the nature of the disease.