Lyme disease is an increasing threat, and of all the infectious diseases that threaten our personal and public health, it can be one of the most problematic.
Lyme disease is the most commonly reported vectorborne disease in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A vectorborne disease is one transmitted to humans or other animals by an insect or other arthropod-type animal. One example: mosquitoes, which transmit West Nile virus. Nationally, the number of confirmed and probable cases reported in 2008 exceeded 35,000, with more than 90 percent occurring in just 10 states, concentrated in the northeastern U.S.
The disease was first outlined in 1977 by epidemiologists at Yale University, following an investigation of an outbreak of arthritis among a dozen or so children in Lyme, Conn. The condition is transmitted by ticks, tiny insects some only the size of a pencil point. These ticks carry what is called a spirochete -- a microbe or bacteria identified as Borrelia burgdorferi that infects humans. The microbe is similar to the spirochete that causes syphilis, and if treated early with antibiotics, the condition can be cured.
The tick latches on to humans for a blood meal, and as it feeds itself, the tick regurgitates the spirochete -- or germ -- into the human's blood stream, infecting the person. If undetected, the tick may feed itself for 24 to 48 hours. Removing the tick before that time period will usually prevent the infection from occurring.
The signature mark of early infection is a rash, appearing anytime between 10 to 20 days after the bite as a red circle and taking the shape of a "bull's-eye" with a fleshy clearing in the middle. If you see the rash, you've been inoculated with the spirochete, and you should call your doctor.
When contracted, the disease initially presents flu-like symptoms, with accompanying fatigue, fever, headache and sore muscles and joints. But if the disease is missed, misdiagnosed or left unattended, the disease can move into secondary and tertiary stages, and that's when serious problems can occur to joints, the nervous system and even the heart.
It's also important not to confuse Lyme disease with other conditions such as fibromyalgia or Lupus, which can present similar symptoms. Testing for Lyme disease, with a physical exam and blood test, can determine if you have the disease. In some instances of late Lyme disease, there is a condition known as antibiotic-resistant Lyme disease. This can occur when the immune system is activated by molecular debris (e.g., dead spirochetal proteins), and can be treated by a rheumatologist with certain immunomodulatory medicines.
