Condition Lookup
Sub-Category:
Tick-borne Infections
Number of Conditions: 1
Lyme Disease
Specialty: Infectious Diseases
Category: Bacterial Infections
Sub-category: Tick-borne Infections
Symptoms:
erythema migrans (bull's-eye rash); fever; chills; fatigue; joint pain; neurological symptoms such as bell's palsy
Root Cause:
Caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, transmitted through the bite of infected Ixodes ticks, leading to systemic infection if untreated.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical presentation, history of tick exposure, enzyme immunoassay (EIA) or immunoblot (Western blot) testing for antibodies.
Treatment:
Antibiotics for early stages; intravenous antibiotics for severe or late-stage disease.
Medications:
Doxycycline (tetracycline-class antibiotic), amoxicillin (penicillin-class antibiotic), or cefuroxime (cephalosporin-class antibiotic) for early stages. Intravenous ceftriaxone or penicillin G for neurologic or severe cases.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Common in temperate regions, especially the northeastern United States and parts of Europe; incidence varies widely by region.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Outdoor activities in tick-endemic areas, not using protective clothing, and delayed removal of ticks.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Good with early diagnosis and treatment; late or untreated cases may lead to chronic symptoms (e.g., Lyme arthritis, neurological issues).
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Chronic joint inflammation, neurological damage, heart rhythm disturbances, post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS).