Rare Lyme disease strain identified in New York

Key facts

• A rare type of Lyme disease caused by B. mayonii bacteria has been found in New York.
• This is the first time B. mayonii has been detected in New York.
• The bacteria was previously only found in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

A rare form of Lyme disease, caused by the Borrelia mayonii bacteria, has been identified for the first time in New York state. Previously, this specific strain of bacteria had only been detected in the U.S. states of Minnesota and Wisconsin. The discovery in New York indicates a potential expansion of the geographic range for this less common Lyme disease pathogen.