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History of Lyme Disease

History of Lyme Disease

1883

  • The European Lyme disease skin condition was described in Germany.

1894

  • A researcher stored mice in a Massachusetts museum. About 100 years later, Bb bacteria were found on the mouse pelts.

1960’s

  • Polly Murray in Old Lyme, Connecticut began documenting symptoms in her family of what later became known as Lyme disease.

1967

  • A doctor in Germany reported that, although most Lyme disease is caused by ticks, about 10% of patients were getting the disease from horseflies.

1975

  • Polly Murray contacted Yale to report illness in her family and neighbors in Lyme and Old Lyme, Connecticut.

1981

  • While examining ticks, Willy Burgdorfer discovered the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria that causes Lyme disease.

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