A 42-year-old man presents to the primary care clinic today…
A 42-year-old man presents to the primary care clinic today with a one-week history of high fevers, severe headaches, and muscle pain. He also reports a rash. He denies any history of travel or changes in his diet. He is current on vaccines. He lives in North Carolina and enjoys hiking outdoors. On physical exam, his temperature is 102.1, and he has a maculopapular rash on his extremities, including his hands and feet but sparing his face. He states that the rash began a few days after his fever started and has progressively gotten worse. Laboratory tests and titers are drawn to confirm the suspected disease, and antibiotics are prescribed immediately. Which of the following is the most likely etiology of this disease?