Lyme - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Definition

Lyme disease is also known as Lyme borreliosis. It is the most common tick-borne disease in North America and Europe, and the fastest-growing infectious disease in the United States. It is named after the town of Lyme, Connecticut where a cluster of cases was identified in 1977. It is a bacterial infection that features a skin rash, swollen joints and flu-like symptoms. You get the disease from the bite of an infected tick. Sometimes it is hard to know if you have Lyme disease because you may not have noticed a tick bite. Lyme disease is most common in rural and suburban areas in the northeastern and Midwestern states. Lyme disease is also found in other parts of the United States, as well as in Europe, Asia and Australia. Delayed or inadequate treatment may often lead to late stage Lyme that is disabling and difficult to treat. Amid great controversy over diagnosis, testing and treatment, two different standards of care for Lyme disease have emerged.

Causes

1. Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, which is carried primarily by deer ticks.
2. During feeding, ticks that carry disease-producing bacteria can transmit the bacteria to a healthy host. This is a major media of transmitting this disease.
3. Lyme disease is most common in rural and suburban areas in the northeastern and midwestern states. Hence, if you are a resident of this region then you have good chances to occur this disease.
4. The germs travel through your blood and stop in various places in your body.

Symptoms

1. The first sign of infection is usually a circular rash called erythemamigrans.
2. The rash may appear 3 to 30 days after a tick bite. This rash usually starts at the site of the tick bite. It may begin as a small red spot and grow larger.
3. The flulike illness usually occurs in the warm weather months when flu does not occur.
4. As rash grows, it can remain red throughout, although it often can develop a clear area. In a minority, it may take on the appearance of a target with multiple rings.
5. After several months, approximately 60% of patients with untreated infection will begin to have intermittent bouts of arthritis, with severe joint pain and swelling.

Treatment

1. Early illness is usually treated with oral medicines such as doxycycline, amoxicillin or cefuroxime axetil.
2. Lyme disease is treated with one of several antibiotics. Generally, these antibiotics are given by mouth, though they may need to be given intravenously in some severe cases of Lyme disease.
3. Swollen joints can be reduced by the doctor removing fluid from them.
4. You can prevent Lyme disease by preventing tick bites. There are various methods in market to prevent tick. You can use anyone of them.
5. Patients with carditis may need hospitalization to prevent syncope during episodes of AV block.