Tick-borne borreliosis (Lyme's disease)

General information about a disease

In 1975 in the small town Lyme early studies of the infectious disease which received the name tick-borne borreliosis (Lyme's disease) began. It is caused by spirochetes and is transferred by mites of the sort Ixodes dammini. Most often domestic animals and the cattle act as carriers of these parasites, but the considerable contribution in process of spread of an infection is brought also by rats with mice whose body is the real incubator for immature mites.

In most cases Lyme's disease has chronic and recurrent character of a current. The disease affects integuments, nervous systems, a musculoskeletal system and heart. The infection gets into a human body at stings of the infected ticks. They show the greatest activity during the summer period. Respectively, risk to catch a disease Laima (borreliosis) increases in warm months by analogy with a tick-borne encephalitis. The outbreaks of a disease of Lyme are regularly fixed in all regions of the Russian Federation therefore each person has to remember elementary precaution during summer holiday, regardless of where he lives – in Siberia or in Krasnodar Krai.

What occurs after a sting of a tick?

Infection is made during a sting of a tick. With saliva of a parasite of a borreliya get under skin and begin to breed strenuously. Eventually they extend to other sites of skin and get into internals. At suspicions of Lyme's disease treatment of the patient has to begin as soon as possible as mites have property to remain in a carrier body for many years, causing emergence of a recurrence and the chronic nature of a disease of Lyme. In many signs borreliosis is similar to symptoms of development of syphilis.

Lyme's disease – symptoms and a clinical picture

In 70% of cases on site of a sting there is a red spot which quickly expands, quite often having 30-40 cm a diameter. The spot can be to irregular shape, but, as a rule, it oval or round. At the same time the outer edges of the inflamed integument tower over the level of healthy skin. Directly in the place of a sting the spot turns pale over time or gets a bluish shade, and in its center the crust appears at first, and then – a small hem. Regardless of that, the person saw a doctor or is not present – the spot will disappear itself in 2-3 weeks, and still approximately in 1,5 months a disease Laima (borreliosis) will be shown in the form of damages of the central nervous system, heart and musculoskeletal system. For this reason any sting of a tick has to be considered as threat of life and to health of the person that involves the fastest address to the doctor for carrying out full inspection.

Confirmation of the diagnosis Lyme's disease is made by means of a research of samples of blood.

Lyme's disease – treatment of a disease

The patient is sent to infectious department of hospital. The main medical actions are directed to destruction of borreliya that allows to prevent progressing of a disease of Lyme and its transition to a chronic form. Otherwise, Laima leads a disease to defeats of the vital systems of an organism and disability.

At early stages symptoms of a disease of Lyme can be successfully stopped by means of antibiotics, but it is necessary to consider that such treatment will be effective only if the patient has no symptoms of fever and intoxication of an organism. Certainly, at Lyme's disease only the experienced doctor taking into account clinical displays of an infection and a condition of the patient has to define the choice of specific antibiotics and their dosage. We will only transfer the most known funds used by specialists at diagnosis Lyme's disease. Treat their number: амоксициклин, levomycetinum, doxycycline, tetracycline, penicillin and levomycetinum succinate.

After an extract from a hospital patients are subject to obligatory medical examination. Examinations are conducted throughout 2 in about 3, 6 years, 12 months and 2 years from the moment of the end of treatment.

Prevention of a disease of Lyme

For the prevention of stings of mites indirect (protective) actions are used as straight lines (destruction of parasites in the nature), and. We perfectly understand that to wear special antitick-borne suits during rest not everyone will venture, but for these purposes it is quite possible to adapt also usual clothes. If you do not want to catch Lyme's disease, then at departure in the wood or to the village fill a shirt in trousers, and trousers – in boots or high boots. Besides, it is very desirable to wear shirts with long sleeves and to densely adjust cuffs. There are also less radical ways of protection. So, for example, it is possible to sprinkle open body parts various frightening-off repellents (Diftolar, DETA) or to impregnate clothes with special drugs like domestic means of Permet.

If prevention did not help, then at once after a sting it is necessary to see a doctor. Remember that in the absence of treatment Lyme's disease can make of you the disabled person therefore you should not expect good luck and the more so on self-treatment. Believe, the official medicine to cope with Lyme's illness much quicker and more effectively, than you are.