Lyme disease.

A clear understanding of the epidemiology of Lyme disease is needed to bring about its effective treatment, prevention, and control. Strategies for effective intervention must be based on quantitative descriptions of the complex interactions of B. burgdorferi with its human and other vertebrate hosts, tick vectors, and the environment. Sound decision making on diagnosis and patient management requires an understanding of the prior probabilities of infection and disease, the performance characteristics of laboratory tests, and the cost-benefits of various treatments. Lyme disease is still a relatively new disease for which there are many unanswered questions; it is an exciting and challenging model of an emerging vector-borne zoonotic disease.