[Lyme disease in human medicine]

Six years of investigations of Lyme disease in our country has offered an opportunity for better understanding of this "new" illness, which is both a medical and a health problem. The number of patients with Lyme disease is found to be similar to the number of patients in other countries. Human infections occur in different areas, rural and urban settings. A high level of collected ticks with Borrelia burgdorferi, suggests a considerable risk of human infection after a tick bite. Difficulties in diagnosing of Lyme disease are connected with different clinical symptoms and signs of the illness a poor health service personnel knowledge og the disease, and the lack of reliable and more convenient laboratory tests for confirmation of the diagnosis. A team work and a multidisciplinary aspect in the investigations and the routine work provide a solid base for a better understanding and gathering much more experience in this field. The individual protection remains a basic control measure, and each person can do the most for self protection. An activity in the health education is also of a very great importance.