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Volume 27, Number 8—August 2021
Perspective

Comparison of Lyme Disease in the United States and Europe

Adriana R. MarquesComments to Author , Franc Strle, and Gary P. Wormser
Author affiliations: National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA (A.R. Marques); University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia (F. Strle); New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York, USA (G.P. Wormser)

Main Article

Table 2

Characteristics of erythema migrans in the United States and Europe

Characteristic
 United States, % cases
Europe, % cases
Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto*
 B. afzelii†
 B. garinii‡
Tick bite at skin site 25 60 64
Central clearing 35 69 62
Systemic symptoms 69 38 37
Multiple erythema migrans lesions 13 5 5
Regional lymphadenopathy 29 8 3

*Data from culture-confirmed erythema migrans caused by B. burgdorferi sensu stricto from reference (8). †Data combining patients with culture-confirmed erythema migrans caused by B. afzelii from references (10) and (8). ‡Data from culture-confirmed erythema migrans caused by B. garinii from reference (9).

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