Lyme Disease #6

Medical Microbiology Disease of the Week 4

classification

Lyme disease; Spriochetal Infection

causative organism

Borellia burgdorferi

epidemiology

reservoir- ticks and other animals

portal of entry- epidermis

transmission- arthropod vector (tick bite; 36-48 hours duration)

incubation

3-30 days

pathogenesis

spirochete injected into the skin multiply and spread radially-eventually entering lymphatic and circulatory system to spread through the body. Chronic spirochete infection and immune response damage tissues.

symptoms

erythema migrans (bull’s eye rash 80% of cases, appears within 7 days and lasts 3-4 weeks), fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle and joint aches, swollen lymph nodes

complications

severe headaches, EM rashes, arthitis, facial palsy, heart palpitations (Lyme carditis), episodes of dizziness or shortness of breath, inflammation of brain or spinal cord, nerve pain, shooting pain or numbness in hands/feet, short-term memory issues

prevention

avoid tick infested areas, treat tick areas with insecticides, protective clothing, bug repellents, visually inspect and remove ticks, shower and wash clothes with hot water

treatment

antibiotics:

doxycycline- a tetracycline (bacteriostatic)

amoxicillin- a β-lactam (bactericidal)

cefuroxime axetil- the β-lactam subbclass cephalosporin

off label (chronic infection): disulfiram