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.
Lyme Disease (Borrelia burgdorferi). Lyme disease is a reportable disease in Oklahoma. Lyme disease is a potentially serious disease caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi (B. burgdorferi).Humans and animals can become infected with B. burgdorferi, following the bite of an infected deer tick, also called the âblack-legged tickâ.lthough rare, it appears possible to get Lyme disease in Oklahoma. Please visit the links below for additional information on Lyme disease. The diagnosis and classification of Lyme disease is further confounded by the presence of a newly identified tickborne disease called Southern Tick Associate Rash Illness (STARI).