Andrew loves to go camping and hiking in the fall. About two weeks after his last camping trip, he noticed an expanding, targetshaped red rash on his arm. Andrew is most likely suffering from

1. Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

2. Lyme disease.

3. West Nile virus.

4. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS)

Answer is 2. Lyme disease.

Explanation:

Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium known as Borrelia burgdorferi, which is transmitted by the deer tick.

The are three stages to its infection

* Stage 1 ... early localized Lyme disease ... at this stage, the bacterium has not spread throughout the body.

* Stage 2 ... early disseminated ... the bacterium started spreading throughout the body.

* Stage 3 ... late disseminated ... the bacterium has spread throughout the body.

Symptoms include, fever, headache, fatigue, and rash.

It can be treated by antibiotics. But if left untreated for a long time, the infection can spread to the heart and joints, causing stiffness of the joints which is known as arthritis.