Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is an infectious disease commonly known as Lyme Borreliosis caused by Borrelia bacteria. The common symptom of the infection is erythema migrans, a red expanding area on skin. Naturally, erythema migran is neither painful nor itchy. However, not all people who develop the rash and therefore other significant symptoms include headache, feeling tired and fever. If Lyme disease is not diagnosed, it may result to severe headaches, joint pains, heart palpitations and neck stiffness. In long run, recurring swellings and joint pains might become prominent. In some cases, infected people develop tingling and shooting pains in their legs and arms.

Cause of Lyme disease

Lyme disease is passed on from infected ticks to humans through bite. Typically, the tick ought to be attached for about forty eight hours before the bacteria are transmitted. Only Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto bacterium in northern America that transmits the disease, whilst in Asia and Europe, Borrelia garinii and Borrelia afzelii bacteria are involved. However, the disease is not transmissible through other animals or between people or even food. The medication of the disease requires wide approach such as symptoms combination, possible testing for certain antibodies and the tick exposure history. Nevertheless, in early stages, antibodies testes are usually negative while individual tick testing is not so useful.

Prevention and Medication

Typically, prevention of Lyme disease involves attempts to prevent bites from infectious ticks. This involves wearing long pants and use of pesticides to control the spread of ticks. Attached ticks can be confiscate by use of tweezers. In some cases, doxycycline dose is required after the eradication of the tick to prevent any possible infection development. However, the chances of development of the disease are limited. Nevertheless, if the infection of the disease develops, several antibodies such as amoxicillin, cefuroxime and doxycycline are recommended. Medication generally takes two to three weeks. In some people, joint and muscle pain and fever may develop during medication which last for not more than two days. Though, in those who develop recurring symptoms, durable antibiotic therapy has been proved ineffective.

Most Lyme disease infections occur during summer and winter seasons. Historically, Lyme disease was initially diagnosed in 1975 as separate condition in Old Lyme in Connecticut. Willy Burgdorfer was first person to describe the bacterium in 1981. Most healthcare specialists argue that continued infections results to chronic Lyme disease. Nevertheless, these arguments are yet to be proved. Presently, the Lyme infections do not have vaccines although a research is still underway in search of suitable vaccines.