A 38-year-old forest warden became ill in late summer with influenza-like symptoms. During the medical assessment, a history of tick bites within a plausible time period was established, and positive results were found on serological tests for borreliosis. Therefore Lyme’s disease was suspected and the case was reported to the health authorities for compensation under the German Occupational Disease Regulations, Supplement 1: No. 3102: “Transferable diseases from animals to human beings”. This case report i llustrates the distinctive processes in assessing occupationally-acquired Lyme’s disease, both with respect to its diagnostic classification and its appraisal according to social legislation.
