[Lyme disease--a relatively new entity].

PURPOSE: To bring in the attention of the medical personnel a relatively new discovered disease with serious consequences, that is often mistaken with a great multitude of miscellaneous syndromes. Also we want to highlight that it is not a rare disease taken into account its endemicity in Europe and consequently in Romania.

SUMMARY: Lyme disease is a bacterial infection caused by a spirochete named "Borrelia Burgdorferi" transmitted to humans by a minuscule tick. It is a multi-systemic illness with ocular involvement as well. The disease mimics other pathologic conditions and because of this goes frequently undiagnosed and consequently untreated. Its ocular involvement may vary from a mild conjunctivitis to uveitis, optic neuritis and sometimes lead to blindness. The disease is endemic in Romania. If it is correctly diagnosed it can be successfully treated with specific antibiotics administrated orally or i.v.