Borrelia burgdorferi | |
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Borrelia burgdorferi | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Bacteria |
Phylum: | Spirochaetota |
Class: | Spirochaetia |
Order: | Spirochaetales |
Family: | Borreliaceae |
Genus: | Borrelia |
Species: | B. burgdorferi
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Binomial name | |
Borrelia burgdorferi Johnson et al. 1984 emend. Baranton et al. 1992
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Borrelia burgdorferi is a bacterial species of the spirochete class in the genus Borrelia, and is one of the causative agents of Lyme disease in humans.[1][2] Along with a few similar genospecies, some of which also cause Lyme disease, it makes up the species complex of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. The complex currently comprises 20 accepted and 3 proposed genospecies.[2] B. burgdorferi sensu stricto exists in North America and Eurasia and until 2016 was the only known cause of Lyme disease in North America.[3][4][2] B. burgdorferi are often mistakenly described as Gram negative because of their two external membranes, but they lack lipopolysaccharide and possess many surface lipoproteins, unlike true Gram-negative bacteria.[5]