Welcome to Lyme Disease Support. Lyme disease, or Lyme borreliosis, is an infectious disease caused by species of bacteria belonging to the genus Borrelia. Approximately 10 to 20% of patients treated for Lyme disease with a recommended 2–4 week course of antibiotics will have lingering symptoms of fatigue, pain, or joint and muscle aches. In some cases, these can last for more than 6 months and can be quite debilitating. Although often called “chronic Lyme disease,” this condition is more accurately known as “Post-treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome” (PTLDS).
The exact cause of PTLDS is not yet known. Most medical experts believe that the lingering symptoms are the result of residual damage to tissues and the immune system that occurred during the infection.