For active Lyme infection to occur in dog or man, B. burgdorferi requires an intermediate host; that is, the disease cannot be directly transmitted from one host to another through contact with infected body secretions such as blood, saliva, urine, etc.

• 对能感染给狗或人的活跃的莱姆菌来说，包柔氏螺旋体菌需要一个中间宿主；也就是说，这种疾病无法通过接触被感染身体的分泌物如血液、唾液，尿液等等的途径直接从一个宿主直接传染到另一宿主身上。