Lyme disease, also called borreliosis, develops in humans as a result of a bite of an ixodid tick that carries pathogenic bacteria. It was first described by American doctors in the mid-70s. The twentieth century, and its causative agent was isolated in 1982. The disease was named in honor of Lyme, Connecticut. It was here that scientists began their research, paying attention to the frequent cases of arthritis in children.
Tick-borne borreliosis is usually infected in the spring and summer months. At this time, ticks are most active, and any walk through the forest can result in infection. The causative agent of borreliosis penetrates the body along with tick saliva. Lyme disease most often (up to 80% of cases) begins with the appearance on the skin in the area of the bite of a papule, and then - annular erythema, redness with a diameter of 10-20 or more centimeters. The incubation period for this disease is most often 1-2 weeks (in almost half of the patients). Therefore, a tick bite that took place a few days ago gives rise to suspect borreliosis. However, in some cases, Lyme disease may lurk in the body for many years, without showing itself, or proceed almost asymptomatically, resembling a mild form of influenza.
In parallel with erythema, weakness, a sensation of aches in the muscles and bones appear. Body temperature rises - sometimes up to 40 degrees. Half of the patients have an increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate in the blood. The first signs of borreliosis, thus, are similar to the symptoms of acute respiratory infections or acute respiratory viral infections, and in some cases, the diagnosis of the disease may be difficult. In most patients, after a few days after the appearance of erythema, a secondary rash of smaller sizes occurs.
Lyme disease in the second stage may be accompanied by meningeal symptoms: nausea and repeated vomiting, photophobia, severe headaches. Some patients have an enlarged liver and mild hepatitis. From the side of the heart, the disease manifests itself as myocarditis and pericarditis. Marked pains in the joints and muscles. Borreliosis at this stage can also be manifested by conjunctivitis, tonsillitis and bronchitis, and increased fatigue. Multiple erythematous lesions may appear on the skin, as well as borreliosis lymphocytoma, which has the appearance of a bluish-red infiltrate.
The combination of symptoms characteristic of this period of the disease is meningitis, peripheral paresis and radiculoneuritis. In this case, the diagnosis is usually not difficult. All the symptoms of the second stage of borreliosis described above are often observed after the fever, erythema and intoxication have passed. In this case, they may not be associated in any way with the representation of the patient with each other.
In the absence of adequate medical care, borreliosis passes into the third stage. This period is characterized by joint damage (arthritis), chronic atrophic acrodermatitis (skin damage); from the nervous system - encephalitis, encephalomyelitis, polyneuropathy. Named after the American town of Lyme, this disease is thus extremely diverse in its manifestations. This fact is associated with the ability of borrelia to affect any tissue and organs.
Borreliosis is treated with antibiotics - doxycycline, amoxicillin, ceftriaxone. The choice of the drug, its dose and the duration of the course depend on the stage of the disease and the individual characteristics of its course, as well as the body's response to antibiotic therapy. In addition, symptomatic treatment is used: for arthritis - non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, physiotherapy, for manifestations from the heart - aspartame, riboxin, and for fever - antipyretic drugs.
To prevent the disease, it is recommended to go to the forest in clothes with long sleeves during tick-borne activity . The ends of the trousers should be tucked into socks and shoes (rubber boots). The head and neck are protected by a scarf, exposed parts of the body are treated with repellents. After a walk in the forest, you should carefully examine the clothes and body. If mites are found, it is undesirable to remove them yourself. Studies show that it is the incorrect extraction of parasites in many cases that leads to infection. It is better to contact the doctors - they, in addition to first aid to the injured, will send the tick to the laboratory. If pathogens are found in it, urgent measures must be taken: Lyme disease, the treatment of which cannot be delayed, can lead to disability in the future.