Lyme disease, which is also known as Lyme borreliosis, is an infection transmitted by the bite of ticks carrying the spiral-shaped bacterium (spirochete) Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb) The disease was named for Old Lyme, Connecticut, the town where it was first diagnosed in 1975, after a puzzling outbreak of arthritis. The spiral-shaped bacterium was named for its discoverer, Willy Burgdorfer. The effects of this disease can be long-term and (1)disabling, unless it is recognized and treated properly with antibiotics.

Lyme disease is a vector--borne disease, which means it is delivered from one host to another. It is also classified as a zoonosis, which means that it is a disease of animals that can be transmitted to humans under natural conditions. In this case, a tick (2)bearing the Bb organism (3)literally inserts it into a host's bloodstream when it bites the host to feed on its blood. It is important, however, to note that neither Bb nor Lyme disease can be transmitted directly from one person to another.

In the United States, Lyme disease accounts for more than 90%of all reported vector-borne illnesses. It is a significant public health problem and continues to be diagnosed in increasing numbers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (4)attributes this increase to the growing size of the deer herd and the geographical spread of infected ticks rather than to improved diagnosis. In addition, some epidemiologists believe that the actual (5)incidence of Lyme disease in the United States may be 5-10 times greater than that reported by the CDC. The reasons for this difference include the narrowness of the CDCs case definition as well as frequent misdiagnosis of the disease.

Controversy clouds the true incidence of Lyme disease because no test is definitively diagnostic for the disease, and many of its symptoms (6)mimic those of so many other diseases. Cases of Lyme disease have been reported in 49 of the 50 states; however, 92% of the 17,730 cases reported to the CDC in 2000 were from only nine states (Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Wisconsin). The disease is also found in Scandinavia, continental Europe, the countries of the former Soviet Union, Japan, and China; in addition, it is possible that it has spread to Australia.

The risk for (7)acquiring Lyme disease varies, depending on what stage in its life cycle a tick has reached. A tick passes through three stages of development －larva, nymph, and adult －each of which is dependent on alive host for food. In the United States, Bb is borne by ticks of several species in the genus Ixodes, which usually feed on the white-footed mouse and deer (and are often called deer ticks). In the summer, the larval ticks hatch from eggs laid in the ground and feed by attaching themselves to small animals and birds. At this stage they are not a problem for humans. It is the next stage - the nymph - that causes most cases of Lyme disease. Nymphs are very active from spring through early summer, at the height of outdoor activity for most people. Because they are still quite small (less than 2 mm in length), they are difficult to (8)spot, giving them ample opportunity to transmit Bb while feeding. Although far more adult ticks than nymphs carry Bb, the adult ticks are much larger, more easily noticed, and more likely to be removed before the 24 hours or more of continuous feeding needed to transmit Bb.

• 1. The word “disabling” in line 7 is closest in meaning to
  • a. crippling
  • b. soothing
  • c. presenting
  • d. disarming
• 2. The word “healing” in line 11 is closest in meaning to
  • a. carrying
  • b. enduring
  • c. producing
  • d. acquiring
• 3. The word “literally” in line 11 is closest in meaning to
  • a. dangerously
  • b. constantly
  • c. temporarily
  • d. actually
• 4. The word “attributes” in line 18 probably means
  • a. give the characteristics of something.
  • b. distribute something over a large area.
  • c. give the reason for something.
  • d. make something happen more.
• 5. The word “incidence” in line 21 probably means
  • a. the risk of getting a disease.
  • b. the way a person catches a disease.
  • c. the diagnosis of a disease.
  • d. the rate of occurrence of a disease.
• 6. The word “mimic” in line 26 is closest in meaning to
  • a. anticipate
  • b. accompany
  • c. resemble
  • d. cause
• 7. The word “acquiring” in line 34 is closest in meaning to
  • a. earning
  • b. resisting
  • c. contracting
  • d. securing
• 8. The word “spot” in line 45 is closest in meaning to
  • a. mark
  • b. notice
  • c. clear up
  • d. remove
• 9. According to the text, Lyme disease was named after
  • a. its discoverer.
  • b. a type of arthritis.
  • c. a town.
  • d. a tick.
• 10. According to the text, Lyme disease can be directly transmitted
  • a. by a tick bite.
  • b. from human to human contact.
  • c. from deer to humans.
  • d. all of the above.
• 11. According to the text, the rising number of cases of Lyme disease is probably due to
  • a. improved diagnosis of the disease.
  • b. an increase in the deer population.
  • c. greater-reporting of the disease by the CDC.
  • d. restricted geographical distribution of infected ticks.
• 12. According to the text, Lyme disease is
  • a. the most common vector-borne disease in the US.
  • b. difficult to diagnose.
  • c. found in many parts of the world.
  • d. all of the above.
• 13. According to the text, in which stage are ticks least likely to transmit Lyme disease?
  • a. in the larval stage
  • b. in the nymph stage
  • c. in the adult stage
  • d. all stages are equally dangerous
• 14. According to the text, the risk of catching Lyme disease is greatest
  • a. in the late summer.
  • b. in the spring and early summer.
  • c. during the first 24 hours of tick contact.
  • d. during the tick's adult stage.
• 15. What information is not discussed in this text?
  • a. where Lyme disease can be found
  • b. how Lyme disease is transmitted
  • c. the definition of Lyme disease
  • d. the specific symptoms of Lyme disease