[Characteristics of Lyme Disease in Korea between 2019 and 2023]

Lyme disease is an infectious illness that is transmitted by the bite of a tick infected with the pathogen Borrelia burgdorferi. In the Republic of Korea, the pathogen was isolated from ticks in the early 1990s and has been designated and managed as a statutory infectious disease since 2010. This study analyzed the epidemiological investigation data of 116 patients with Lyme disease reported to the Disease and Health Integrated Management System (https://is.kdca.go.kr/) from 2019 to 2023 to determine the recent outbreak pattern of Lyme disease. We aimed to determine the epidemiological characteristics. The number of patients with Lyme disease decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic but increased approximately six-fold in 2023 compared with 2021. Most cases of domestic infection (72.4%) occurred between June and November, and were related to various outdoor activities, such as one-time outdoor activities (42.1%) and farm and garden work (40.4%) in summer and fall (72.4%). Lyme disease presents a low fatality rate; however, if it does not receive appropriate treatment in the early stages, it becomes chronic. Therefore, it is important to reduce exposure to ticks to prevent individuals from being bitten during periods of frequent outdoor activities, and prevention and management should be strengthened through active promotion.