What It Is
Borrelia burgdorferi (400x magnification)
Borrelia burgdorferi is a species of Gram negative bacteria that is the primary causing agent of Lyme disease. Its doing its job for sure, as Lyme disease is the most predominant tick-borne illness in the United States today. The bacteria, B.burgdorferi, is transmitted by ticks known as Ixodes ticks. It belongs to the phylum Spirochete and the genus Borrelia. In addition, it also belongs to the order Spirochaetales and the family Spirochaetaceae. B.burgdorferi is one of the few pathogenic bacteria that can survive without iron. Instead, its enzymes use manganese and in turn, it avoids the problem of acquiring iron. B.burgdorferi is a microscopic organism, meaning it can only be seen with a microscope. When looking under a microscope, you'll find the unique spiral shaped bacteria that has the ability to penetrate the tissue of other organisms, such as humans and animals.
