Lyme Disease
• Definition
· Lyme Disease is the result of an infection with the bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi. This bacteria is transmitted by certain Ticks through a tick bite and affects many organ systems in your body.
• Overview
· Lyme Disease was first characterized in Lyme Connecticut
· Lyme Disease affects about 20,000 people each year and usually occur in the summer months
• Symptoms
Migrating red rash
A flat or slightly raised red spot on the skin where the tick bite occurred and this appears about one week after the tick bite and lasts up to one month. This spot on the skin is most likely to occur in groin, on the thighs or underarms. This spot will extend outward for a few days and will typically have a clearing of the redness in the center of the spot. This is known as a ” bull’s-eye spot”
Other symptoms include
Fevers
chills
fatigue
muscle pain
joint pain
headache
stiff neck
fatigue
• Complications
· Complications during the acute infection of Lyme disease include
inflammation of the lining around the heart
a block in the electrical activity of the heart
meningitis
Bell’s palsy
Conjunctivitis
· Late or chronic complication of untreated Lyme disease
Muscle pain and weakness
nerve damage
knee arthritis
encephalopathy
memory loss
mood changes
insomnia
balance problems
• Treatment
Antibiotics medication- typically Doxycycline
Reference
Diagnosis of Lyme disease. Am Fam Physician. 2005 Jul 15;72(2):297-304. [PMID: 16050454]
Clinical practice. Early Lyme disease. N Engl J Med. 2006 Jun 29;354(26):2794-801. [PMID: 16807416]
Posted on September 24, 2008
