Most Viral Host Ranges Are Narrow. The fact that the host range â the group of cell types that a virus can infect â is generally restricted serves as a basis for classifying viruses. A virus that infects only bacteria is called a bacteriophage, or simply a phage.
In 1981, a scientist who was studying Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (also caused by a tick bite) began to study Lyme disease. This scientist, Willy Burgdorfer, found the connection between the deer tick and the disease. He discovered that a bacterium called a spirochete, carried by ticks, was causing Lyme.The medical community honored Dr. Burgdorferâs discovery in 1982 by naming the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi.istory of Lyme Disease. Ticks and Lyme disease have been around for thousands of years. In fact, a recent autopsy on a 5,300-year-old mummy indicated the presence of the bacteria which causes Lyme disease.
Background. Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne disease in the United States. It was named in 1977 when arthritis was observed in a cluster of children in and around Lyme, Connecticut.The disease is caused by a bacterial agent called Borrelia burgdorferi, sensu stricto, which was first identified in North America in 1982.reatment. Lyme disease in humans and animals can be treated with common antibiotics. However, as with the majority of diseases, treatment is most effective if it is begun early in the course of illness. Also, treatment failures may occasionally occur and retreatment may be necessary.