Clin Exp Rheumatol
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Lyme arthritis is the late manifestation of a multi-systemic infectious disease designated Lyme borreliosis (LB) which is caused by the spirochete Borrelia burdorferi. Its arthritic manifestations were first recognized in the small New England villages, "Lyme" and "Old Lyme", for which the disorder is named. ⋯ The intensive study of this disorder, however, has taught important lessons which may also be true for other forms of chronic arthritis in which an infectious cause has not been elucidated. Rather than just adding another review on Lyme arthritis to the many good ones that already exist, this paper will focus on these messages.