Serologically diagnosed lyme disease manifesting erythema migrans in Korea

Lyme disease is a vector-borne infection, primarily transmitted by Ixodes t icks, and caused by Borrelia burgdorferi. It has a wide distribution in the northern hemisphere. In Korea, however, only one human case has been repor ted, although B. burgdorferi was isolated from the vector tick l, persulcat us in the region. A 60-year-old male and a 45-year-old female developed the clinical sign of erythema migrans, Each patients were bitten by a tick fou r weeks and five weeks, respectively, before entering the hospital. On sero logic examination, significantly increased IgM and IgG antibody titers to B . burgdorferi were observed in consecutive tests performed at an interval o f two weeks. They responded well to treatment with tetracycline.