Abstract
Lyme disease caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi has become a major worldwide epidemic. In this article, we explore the clinical, epidemiological and experimental evidence for sexual transmission of Lyme disease in animal models and humans. Although the likelihood of sexual transmission of the Lyme spirochete remains speculative, the possibility of Lyme disease transmission via intimate human contact merits further study.
Acknowledgments
The authors thank S Altaie, A Barbour, G Chaconas, L Gilbert, N Haak, M Kroun, R Lane, SH Lee, K Liegner, A MacDonald, L Montagnier, K Mullis, E Sapi, J Shah and J Sperling for helpful discussion. They also thank L Johnson, P Mervine and P Smith for online support.
Financial & competing interests disclosure
The authors are supported in part by a grant from the Lindorf Family Foundation, Newark, OH. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.