1975年,在美国康涅狄格州的Old Lyme,Lyme及East Haddam三个相连村镇地区发现一种新的流行病,称为Lyme关节炎。1978年证明本病为某种硬蜱传播的一种多系统受累的传染病让,所以改称为Lyme病。从1975年11月到1979年8月,发病数已达512例,分布在美国的14个州和地区,而且在美国以外也有病例报告。1982年及1983年相继证明本病病原为一种螺旋体,按其形态学和免疫学特征,介于密螺旋体(Treponema)和疏螺旋体(Borrelia)之间, In 1975, a new pandemic, known as Lyme arthritis, was found in the three contiguous towns of Old Lyme, Lyme and East Haddam in Connecticut. In 1978, the disease proved to be a multi-system contagious infectious disease transmitted by some ticks, so it was renamed as Lyme’s disease. From November 1975 to August 1979, the number of cases reached 512, distributed in 14 states and regions of the United States, and cases were also reported outside the United States. In 1982 and 1983, the pathogen of the disease was proved to be a spirochete one after another. According to its morphological and immunological characteristics, it was between Treponema and Borrelia,