Color enhanced scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of Borrelia burgdorferi, the cause of lyme disease the most common tick-borne disease in the U.S. Transmission of this this spirochete bacteria occurs through the bite of infected deer ticks. Ticks often occur in areas of brush and tall grass. The disease is recognized by a distinctive skin lesion, erythema migrans, accompanied by headache, stiff neck, myalgias, arthralgias, fatigue, and swelling of the lymph nodes. While treatable with antibiotics, untreated patients may develop meningoencephalitis, myocarditis or even arthritis. New York state has 40% of the reported cases of Lyme disease in the U.S. SEM 625x at 35mm