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Lyme disease symptoms and treatment consequences. Borreliosis - photos, consequences, symptoms and treatment of tick-borne borreliosis in humans. Recognizing Lyme Disease

The habitat of these tiny arachnids is forests and grassy areas around the world, mainly in the northern hemisphere. They are not found only in Antarctica.

All age categories are susceptible to the disease. It is most common among children, the elderly, and people who spend a lot of time outdoors. On the territory of our state, 7-10 thousand cases of the disease are officially registered every year; in the USA this figure reaches 300 thousand.

In a chronic course, diagnosis is difficult, and the range of manifestations of the disease is very diverse. There are often cases when progressive borreliosis is identified with chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple sclerosis, and even with various mental illnesses, including depression.

The infection is not transmitted from a sick person to a healthy person, but transplacental penetration of Borrelia from a pregnant woman to the fetus cannot be ruled out.

This may explain the registration of a fairly large number of cases of borrelitis in children of preschool and primary school age.

Symptoms and clinical picture of borreliosis

Only 25-30% of patients with Lyme disease notice and remember the tick bite episode. Most often, the symptoms of the onset of the disease are ignored and attributed to the flu, so ARVI should be especially wary outside of the season.

External signs of the disease - erythema wandering (photo)

Redness of the skin at the site of the bite is the main, but not necessarily, sign of infection with borreliosis. In almost half of the cases, this symptom is absent or manifests itself in an atypical way.

A characteristic form of redness is erythema wandering - a target-shaped spot with a compacted center and a ring-shaped structure around it, which can subsequently increase to 15-20 cm in diameter. The photo shows the dynamics of erythema growth at the site of a tick bite.

An erythematous form of borreliosis in the initial stage is also possible. In these cases, the disease is more severe than in patients with erythema, and the consequences may not be predictable.

Initial symptoms of human infection with Lyme disease

According to the California-based education, advocacy and research organization LymeDisease.org, early signs that accompany Lyme borreliosis usually develop within 1-2 weeks after the bite and, in addition to skin manifestations, include:

• symptoms similar to a cold, in 60% of cases - increased body temperature, weakness, enlarged lymph nodes in the submandibular area, sore throat;
• shooting, interfering with sleep – in 54%;
• pain and swelling in large joints – in 48%;
• severe headaches in 44%;
• dizziness in 30% of cases, stiffness in the cervical spine and;
• shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, chest pain, fainting – in 10%;
• decreased tone of the facial muscles, paralysis of the facial nerve – in 4%.

Symptoms with further development of Lyme borreliosis

With the late course of Lyme disease, the symptoms become nonspecific and fit a number of common diseases. Depending on the functional damage caused by the bacterial infection, borreliosis must be differentiated from articular pathologies, heart failure and other disorders.

A characteristic and common symptom of borreliosis in the chronic stage is the occurrence of benign lymphocytoma, a tumor-like formation on the earlobe, in the area of ​​the nipple, and scrotum.

Severe Lyme disease manifests itself with the following symptoms:

• chronic fatigue – in 48% of cases;
• worsening sleep – insomnia or vice versa, constant drowsiness – in 41%;
• muscle-joint pain, similar to manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatism, scleroderma, etc. – in 39%;
• mental disorders - sudden changes in mood, depression - in 34%;
• decreased mental performance and memory – 32%;
• diseases of the nervous system (meningitis, encephalitis, etc.), numbness, tingling sensations, cold or heat on the skin - in 32%;
• persistent or systematically occurring headaches – in 23%;
• cardiovascular problems (peri- and myocarditis, heart rhythm disturbances) – in 10%.

The consequences of infection are joint damage

The most common functional disorder accompanying borreliosis is damage to the musculoskeletal system. Migrating pain is observed, in which the localization of joint pain is constantly changing, myalgia (muscle soreness), and other symptoms.

Moreover, all parts of the joint are involved in the inflammatory process with the gradual destruction of bone and cartilage tissue. Based on the degree of damage to the joint and the duration of the course, early and late arthritis are distinguished.

On average, in 70% of those infected with borreliosis, the first symptoms of disorders in the functioning of the musculoskeletal system are observed 3-4 months after the tick bite. In other cases, pain occurs in the later stages of the disease.

Clinically, the pathology manifests itself as isolated outbreaks of arthritis, as well as chronic recession with periodic exacerbations.

No more than 2-3 joints are affected at the same time, often with effusion - excessive release of fluid into the joint cavity. Most often these are large joints - knees, ankles, shoulders and hips.

Diagnosis of tick-borne borreliosis

The appearance of erythema at the site of a tick bite gives reason to think, first of all, about infection with borreliosis. 100% accurate laboratory criteria for identifying the causative agents of Lyme disease do not exist today. Typical diagnostic tests have low sensitivity.

Borreliosis suppresses the immune system, and in the presence of the disease, in 20-30% of cases, tests for antibodies to the infection show a false negative result.

First of all, careful collection of clinical data is taken into account - accompanying symptoms in the early and late stages, the fact or likelihood of a tick bite in the epidemiological zone.

Laboratory indicators are used as an additional means of diagnosing Lyme borreliosis, but do not indicate the reliability of the diagnosis. In this case, antibodies are determined in blood serum, joint and cerebrospinal fluids using ELISA, RNIF, PCR, and immunoblotting methods. In the early stages, they are not informative in approximately half of the cases, so a study of paired sera with an interval of 20-30 days is used.

Isolation of Borrelia culture from affected tissues and biological fluids using the Warthin-Starry method is also used.

Despite the test results, the presence of an important symptom - erythema migrans after a tick bite - is an indicator for immediately starting treatment for Lyme disease.

Delay leads to dire consequences, and in case of infectious lesions of the heart - even to death.

Lyme disease treatment

Lyme disease is treated with antimicrobial medications. To avoid the serious consequences of the disease, the selection of drugs and treatment regimens is carried out individually, and only by an infectious disease doctor.

It is worth noting that there is no specific remedy selectively aimed at combating Borrelia. In case of ineffectiveness, the treatment tactics and/or the chosen antibiotic are changed until the result is achieved - in particular, until the symptoms of the disease disappear and there are no relapses.

The following are used as antibacterial agents:

• Doxycycline,
• Amoxicillin,
• Penicillin,
• Azithromycin,
• Ceftriaxone,
• Cefotaxime,
• Ampicillin,
• Unidox Solutab,
• Sumamed and others.

The duration of the course of treatment can take from 5 days to a month, in rare cases more. If treatment of tick-borne borreliosis with antibacterial drugs is started already at stage 1, then the likelihood of Lyme disease progressing to stages 2 and 3 and the occurrence of severe consequences in the form of neurological, cardiac and joint complications is significantly reduced.

For arthritic manifestations of Lyme disease, analgesics are used.

In severe stages of the disease, a hospital stay under round-the-clock medical supervision is indicated. To maintain a balanced gut flora and reduce the risk of additional health problems during treatment, it is important to take probiotics.

Cure prognosis and prevention

In most cases, complete recovery and restoration of ability to work occurs 1-2 months after the start of treatment.

The tick is active in May, June, September and October, and the number of bites increases in wet weather - on the eve of rain or on cloudy days.

• When walking in the forest, park, or working in the garden, wear tight-fitting clothes to prevent ticks from crawling onto your skin, your shoes should be closed and your head should be covered;
• use repellents that repel insects; after being in nature, check all exposed skin for the presence of attached ticks and characteristic rashes;
• If you find an insect, carefully remove it or urgently contact a medical facility for this; the tick must be submitted to a laboratory for examination;
• If laboratory results do not show the presence of infections, then to completely exclude the possibility of the disease, do a blood test for the presence of antibodies to Borrelia 3-4 weeks after the bite.

Tick-borne borreliosis, or Lyme disease, is an infectious, in the vast majority of cases, vector-borne disease. The symptoms of the pathology depend on the severity and nature of the immune system’s response to the penetration of pathogenic bacteria. The main symptoms of tick-borne borreliosis include hyperthermia, headaches and various allergic reactions. In the absence of medical care, the disease rapidly progresses, disrupting the functioning of the cardiovascular and nervous systems, as well as the musculoskeletal system. With timely treatment at a hospital, Lyme disease can be completely cured. Therapy carried out at the last stage often does not help prevent the development of irreversible complications.

Vectors of infection

The clinical picture of tick-borne borreliosis appears in a person 1-2 weeks after being infected with gram-negative spirochete bacteria. The severity of symptoms depends on many factors, one of which is the type of infection carrier. The pathology is spread by ticks of the genus Ixodes, and their degree of infection can vary at different times of the year. Lyme borreliosis is one of the most common diseases transmitted to humans through the bites of infected arthropods. What ticks that carry borreliosis are found in our country:

• Borrelia afzelii;
• Borrelia garinii.

In South and North America, another species, Borrelia burgdorferi, often becomes a carrier of borreliosis. Ticks, distributors of pathogenic bacteria, become infected from domestic or wild birds, rodents, and animals. Goats, cats, and rats do not always get sick after infection. Their body is at the stage of bacterial carriage, so it is impossible to determine by appearance whether the animal is a carrier of spirochetes.

Warning: Neglecting medical care after being bitten by a spirochete-infected tick will most likely cause disability. Doctors often have to declare the death of a person in the final stages of Lyme disease.

How can you get Lyme disease?

Ticks become more active with the onset of warm weather. Their numbers increase in spring and summer, when people begin to visit forests and the banks of water bodies in large numbers - habitats of infection carriers. Recently, cases of infection have become more frequent even in early March and late October. Scientists attribute this not only to global warming, but also to the ability of arthropods to adapt to unfavorable conditions.

The main route of transmission of borreliosis is the bite of a tick infected with spirochetes. But there are other methods of transmission:

• pathology develops after consuming raw milk of infected animals;
• pathogenic bacteria are transmitted to a child in the womb of a mother infected with tick-borne borreliosis.

Despite the fact that Lyme disease is an infectious disease, immunity to it is practically not developed or does not have any resistance. A person who has recently recovered from borreliosis may become ill a few days after being bitten again.

What happens after a bite

Infectious pathogens enter the human body through the tick saliva released during a bite. Once in the systemic bloodstream, pathogenic bacteria spread throughout all internal organs, lymph nodes, bone and joint tissues. The pathological process involves:

• nerve pathways;
• membranes of the brain.

After the death of pathogenic microorganisms, endotoxins are released. The immune system responds to foreign proteins by producing antibodies from different classes of immunoglobulins. After some time, the flagellar antigen of bacteria appears in the body. This causes a significant increase in the antibodies produced. Immune complexes become larger and begin to circulate in damaged tissues, triggering inflammatory processes. Lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates are formed, affecting the peripheral ganglia, spleen, skin, subcutaneous tissue and lymph nodes. At this stage, all the signs of borreliosis appear after a tick bite.

Severe consequences of infectious pathology

As tick-borne borreliosis progresses, the internal organs and musculoskeletal system of a person, especially the joints, are gradually affected. The danger of the disease lies in the disappearance of symptoms at a certain stage. Until recently, a person suffered from unbearable headaches and itchy skin, but suddenly all the negative signs disappear without a trace. A visit to the doctor is canceled, and at this time pathogenic bacteria actively multiply in the body. Not surprisingly, the severity of new symptoms is significantly higher.

If a person is not provided with timely medical care, then there is a high probability that the disease will develop into a sluggish chronic form. At this stage, tick-borne borreliosis has already provoked numerous complications. The pathology is characterized by the development of the following consequences of lack of treatment:

• heart rhythm disturbance;
• decreased muscle tone in the upper and lower extremities;
• tremor, epileptic seizures;
• decreased visual acuity and (or) hearing;
• damage to bones and joints with their further destruction;
• loss of skin sensitivity;
• acute or chronic heart failure;
• paralysis of the facial nerves of various locations.

The consequences of borreliosis after a tick bite are reversible in the initial stages of the disease. Parenteral administration of pharmacological drugs with antibacterial activity stops inflammatory processes. Treatment of chronic Lyme disease or its last stage poses difficulties.

Warning: Gradually spreading in the body, endotoxins contribute to the formation of infectious foci in all internal organs and joint tissues. Even the destruction of pathogenic bacteria does not guarantee complete and rapid recovery of the body.

Clinical picture

Symptoms of tick-borne borreliosis vary significantly at different stages of the disease. The severity of the symptoms also depends on the person’s age, state of health and the presence of chronic pathologies in the anamnesis. For example, Lyme disease is much more severe in children than in adults due to immature immunity and high permeability of blood vessels. Since the disease is constantly progressing, symptoms appear as certain tissues or organs are affected:

• at the first stage, pathogenic bacteria actively multiply, causing minor discomfort;
• at the second stage, pathogenic microbes spread throughout the body, provoking the development of a clinical picture of general intoxication;
• at the third stage, the functioning of the central and peripheral nervous system, as well as the musculoskeletal system, is disrupted, so very characteristic symptoms of borreliosis arise after a tick bite in a person.

The first signs of infection often resemble the clinical picture of any respiratory disease, which can significantly complicate diagnosis.

Recommendation: A person feels virtually no pain when bitten by a tick. This causes late detection of infection. A definite clue may be severe redness of the skin at the site of the bite, which occurs over the course of several days.

First stage

In the first stage of Lyme disease, symptoms are quite vague or may not appear at all. At the site of the bite, the skin turns red and a ring-shaped erythema forms, gradually increasing in size. Over time, its color loses intensity. At the site of the bite, the skin begins to thin, and extensive swelling occurs. In an effort to remove foreign proteins, the immune system responds with the following symptoms:

• temperature rise above subfebrile values ​​(38.6°C);
• weakness, fatigue, drowsiness;
• decreased physical activity in children;
• pain in joints, muscles, head;
• dyspeptic disorders against the background of hyperthermia - nausea, diarrhea, vomiting.

If antibiotic therapy is carried out at the first stage, the symptoms disappear without additional use of any medications.

This is interesting: The disease is characterized by the appearance of secondary erythema during the spread of infectious agents in the body. Round spots are found in areas with thin skin - near the nipples and earlobes.

Second stage

At this stage, pathogenic bacteria have already spread throughout the body, forming inflammatory foci in soft and joint tissues. The infection affects the nervous and cardiovascular systems, and the gastrointestinal tract. The roots of the spinal nerves are also damaged, having a negative impact on the condition of the spinal column. A person experiences the following symptoms:

• hyperthermia;
• dyspeptic disorders, digestive disorders and peristalsis;
• emotional instability, increased nervous excitability;
• decreased visual acuity, fear of light;
• heart rhythm disturbance;
• disruption of innervation, especially of the facial muscles;
• myocardial inflammation;
• memory loss, inability to concentrate.

The infection also affects liver cells, causing their death and disrupting metabolic processes. And damage to joint tissues causes arthritis, arthrosis, and polyarthralgia. Treatment of borreliosis after a tick bite at this stage is impossible without taking medications to relieve symptoms and eliminate the consequences of the pathology.

Third stage

At this point, the long-term negative impact of infectious agents disrupted the functioning of all human life systems. Irreversible damage to internal organs and all parts of the spinal column developed, and the functioning of the autonomic and central nervous systems was disrupted. Factors that provoke this condition include:

• slow spread of tick-borne borreliosis pathogens;
• predisposition to a pronounced response of the immune system to the penetration of foreign proteins;
• intracellular development of pathogenic microorganisms.

If a person is bitten by a tick suffering from borreliosis, then an incorrectly drawn up therapeutic regimen or a complete lack of treatment contributes to the chronicity of the disease. This type of pathology is characterized by frequent alternating relapses and remissions, gradually leading to the following conditions:

• atrophy of the skin;
• formation of compactions in the lymph nodes;
• thinning and increased fragility of bones.

At this stage of Lyme disease, properly administered pathogenetic therapy is of great importance. But in the vast majority of cases, the consequences are irreversible.

Diagnostics

At the first stage of the examination, the doctor examines the patient and examines the medical history. The initial diagnosis will be speeded up by confirmation of the tick attack by the patient. A sign of the development of Lyme disease will be the presence of characteristic erythemas on the skin. The absence of any clinical picture at the initial stage of infection may complicate diagnosis.

The doctor must prescribe laboratory tests of blood and urine. If the patient has managed to remove the carrier of the infection, then the tick is analyzed for borreliosis. But even the most modern diagnostic techniques sometimes cannot detect the presence of pathogenic bacteria in the systemic bloodstream or lymphatic fluid. In some cases, a biopsy of a piece of soft tissue is performed. Also, when diagnosing Lyme disease, the following instrumental studies are indicated:

• radiography to detect changes in cartilage and soft tissue;
• magnetic resonance imaging to detect damage to the heart, blood vessels, brain and gastrointestinal tract.

Using serological methods for studying biological samples, it is possible to indirectly confirm the development of tick-borne borreliosis. To do this, polymerase chain reaction is analyzed to detect pathogenic bacteria belonging to spirochetes.

Treatment

If it turns out to be positive, the doctor draws up a therapeutic regimen, including taking pharmacological drugs and performing physical procedures. An integrated approach is used to treat Lyme disease, combining the diverse effects of medications on the patient’s body:

• reduction in the severity of symptoms;
• destruction of pathogenic bacteria;
• eliminating negative consequences.

Single and daily dosages of drugs, as well as the duration of their use, are determined by the attending physician. It takes into account the stage of the disease, health status and age of the patient.

Antibiotic therapy

The use of antibacterial agents at the initial stage of pathology promotes rapid and complete recovery. If the disease is accompanied by skin rashes, then it is advisable to use antibiotics from the group of penicillins or tetracyclines:

• Tetracycline;
• Benzyl penicillin;
• Amoxicillin;
• Ampicillin;
• Doxycycline.

Since tick-borne borreliosis pathogens are capable of developing resistance to such antibiotics, combination drugs have recently been used:

• Augmentin;
• Panclave;
• Amoxiclav.

• Cefixime;
• Ceftriaxone;
• Cephalexin.

The disadvantage of these antibacterial drugs is a significant number of side effects. Long-term use of these drugs can provoke the development of sensitization reactions, nausea, vomiting, and impaired peristalsis.

Symptomatic therapy

Since tick-borne borreliosis almost always occurs against the background of general intoxication of the body, doctors prescribe the following drugs to eliminate symptoms:

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - Ibuprofen, Nimesulide, Diclofenac, Meloxicam. NSAIDs reduce fever, quickly relieve pain and inflammation;
• Analgesics and antispasmodics - Spazgan, Drotaverine, Papaverine, Spazgan, Ketorol, Baralgin. The drugs can effectively reduce the severity of pain in the head, joints, and gastrointestinal tract;
• Glucocorticosteroids - Dexamethasone, Prednisolone. Medicines are prescribed to patients for the development of severe inflammatory processes, as well as for the treatment of autoimmune pathologies.

Before treating borreliosis after a tick bite, the general health of the patient is assessed. If it is severe, then detoxification therapy is carried out to remove toxic compounds from the body using intravenous infusions of Ringer's solution, sodium chloride, Trisol.

Recommendation: To improve the patient’s well-being and speed up recovery, a course of balanced vitamin complexes with microelements is practiced - Supradin, Complivita, Vitrum, Centrum, Macrovit.

Preventive measures

Prevention of borreliosis after a tick bite consists, first of all, in correctly selected clothing for walks in the forest, square, or park. It should be light in color and fit snugly to the body, protecting the neck, chest, wrists and ankles. Ticks often fall on people from tree branches, so a headdress, preferably a headscarf, is a must. The following measures also include preventive measures:

• the use of creams, lotions, sprays that repel blood-sucking arthropods;
• walks only in places where there are no weeds and dense thickets of bushes;
• periodically inspect yourself and your companions for the presence of attached or crawling ticks.

You should not bring flowers, branches or medicinal plants home, as they may contain arthropods. It is advisable to choose places for relaxation or walks in the fresh air where the grass is constantly mowed and treated with special anti-tick agents.

Advice: An excellent way to prevent the development of severe stages of Lyme disease is to visit a hospital in a timely manner. Preserving the detected tick will help speed up diagnosis and start of treatment.

Lyme disease is one of the most common infectious pathologies transmitted by ticks. Cases of infection are regularly recorded in many countries of Asia and Europe, including ours, and the percentage of disability and mortality as a result of this disease is not small.

What is Lyme disease in humans?

A serious pathology that can result from even a single tick bite is borreliosis. This is also the name for Lyme disease, which was first registered and described more than 40 years ago in the USA in the city of Lyme. Then several patients were diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and only after a series of studies did scientists establish a connection between the disease and a tick bite.

Tick-borne borreliosis is a natural focal multisystem disease with a complex pathogenesis, many manifestations of which are isolated as independent diseases, and a number of symptoms are classified as syndromes of unknown etiology. When infected, the skin, musculoskeletal system, central nervous system, and cardiovascular system are affected.

Lyme disease is the causative agent

Tick-borne borreliosis (Lyme disease) is caused by microorganisms belonging to the genus Borrelia (spirochete order). These are long, thin, spring-shaped bacteria that settle mainly in the bodies of ixodid ticks, in the intestines of which these pathogens multiply. The causative agents of the disease are also found in the body tissues of cattle, rodents, birds, dogs and other animals.

You can “pick up” a tick in the forest, forested area, pasture, etc. These blood-sucking insects often wait for a “victim”, clinging to a leaf of a plant or bush, at a height of no more than 1.5 m from the ground. They often end up in homes with pets, clinging to their fur. The peak incidence is from May to September, when these insects have an active phase.

Lyme disease - stages

Lyme disease (borreliosis) during its typical development goes through three stages:

• Stage I - a local infectious-inflammatory and allergic process, when bacteria, after sucking an insect, penetrate into the skin layers;
• Stage II – dissemination (after several weeks, months) – spread of infection through the blood and through the lymph from the site of penetration to various internal organs, lymph nodes, joints;
• Stage III - persistence (1-12 months after the end of stage II) - when the infection remains in the body for a long time, the inflammatory process involves the membranes of the brain, and predominant damage to any of the organs may be observed.

Borreliosis - symptoms

The incubation period of infection is often 7-10 days, sometimes less or more (up to 30 days). When Lyme disease develops, the symptoms at the initial stage do not always alert a person and force them to see a doctor; many people mistake them for manifestations of a cold or flu. In addition, not all patients remember the episode of tick sucking; sometimes it goes unnoticed.

Symptoms of borreliosis after a tick bite

The most striking debut symptom accompanied by Lyme disease after a tick bite in the case of the erythemal form (in 70% of cases) is the appearance at the affected area of ​​a round or oval zone of redness, gradually expanding and limited from unaffected tissues by a bright red border. The size of the red spot can vary from 3 to 60 cm, which does not depend on the severity of the disease. In the center, the erythema is compacted, slightly lightish or bluish. The reddened area may experience mild soreness, itching, and loss of skin sensitivity.

Other signs of borreliosis in the early stages may include:

• increased body temperature (up to 39-40 °C);
• weakness;
• fatigue;
• stiffness of the neck muscles;
• nausea;
• vomiting;
• sore throat;
• slight runny nose;
• headache;
• inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eyes;
• rash on the face;
• pain in the liver area.

In some cases, the listed symptoms are present without the appearance of redness around the bite site. After a few weeks, these manifestations weaken or disappear, even if the disease is not treated. Sometimes spontaneous self-healing is recorded. Otherwise, the pathology progresses, enters a chronic stage or a generalized form involving certain organs and systems. Further symptoms depend on the location of the infection:

1. In case of damage to the musculoskeletal system:

• pain in the joints of various parts of the body;
• change in gait;
• restriction of movements in joints.

2. In case of damage to the cardiovascular system:

• increased heart rate;
• shortness of breath on exertion and at rest;
• squeezing pain in the region of the heart.

3. In case of damage to the central nervous system:

• weakening of voluntary movements;
• increased excitability or depression;
• memory and concentration disorders;
• sleep disturbance;
• facial paralysis;
• damage to the oculomotor, auditory, and optic nerves.

4. In case of brain damage:

• throbbing headache;
• dizziness;
• nausea;
• vomit;
• photophobia;
• hearing loss, etc.

In addition, the complex of clinical manifestations of Lyme disease may include the formation of benign skin lymphocytoma - a single nodule or infiltrate or disseminated plaques. Often these formations, slightly painful and having a bright crimson color, are observed on the earlobes, nipples and areolas of the mammary glands, face, and genitals.

Lyme disease - diagnosis

Tick-borne borreliosis, the symptoms of which are polymorphic, is not easy to diagnose, especially in the later stages. A reliable clinical diagnosis can be established only in the case of pronounced erythema after a tick bite, which is the main marker of the disease. Then there is no need for laboratory research.

To determine whether a tick bite is contagious, once removed from the skin, it can be taken to a laboratory for testing. To do this, the insect is placed in a glass jar with a lid, where a piece of cotton wool moistened with water must first be placed. It makes sense to do this if no more than a day has passed since the tick was removed and the insect is alive and intact.

Analysis for borreliosis

Lyme disease in the second and third stages can be diagnosed by specific tests of venous blood, which contains a certain amount of borreliosis infection. At the first stage, it is rarely possible to identify bacteria in a laboratory way. A blood test for borreliosis can be carried out using the following methods:

• polymerase chain reaction - detection of DNA or RNA fragments of the pathogen;
• enzyme immunoassay - determination of antibodies of the IgM and IgG classes;
• indirect fluorescence reaction - serological analysis with pre-treatment of the material with labeled antibodies.

Tick-borne borreliosis - treatment

If borreliosis is diagnosed, treatment primarily involves taking antibiotics to which borrelia are sensitive. Patients with severe and moderate pathology are subject to hospitalization, and for mild cases, treatment is carried out on an outpatient basis. Drug therapy, in addition to getting rid of the infection, must take into account clinical manifestations, in connection with which the following groups of drugs may be prescribed:

• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Indomethacin, Naproxen);
• analgesics (Baralgin, Maksigana);
• glucocorticosteroids (Prednisolone);
• vascular agents (Cavinton, Trental);
• antihistamines (Claritin, Suprastin);
• antioxidants (Solcoseryl, Actovegin);
• means for improving neuromuscular conduction (Proserin, Oksazil);
• diuretics (Furosemide);
• detoxification drugs (Atoxil, Albumin), etc.

• drinking plenty of water;
• physiotherapeutic procedures (phonophoresis, UV irradiation, magnetic therapy);
• hydrotherapy;
• massage;
• physiotherapy.

Borreliosis - treatment with antibiotics

How to treat Lyme disease with antibiotics, how to take them, in what dose, for how long, is determined by the stage of the disease and the predominant symptoms. Lyme disease often requires treatment for 2-4 weeks, and the following medications may be prescribed:

• Tetracycline, Amoxicillin, Doxycycline, Azithromycin - for stage I of the disease and for skin manifestations;
• Doxycycline, Ceftriaxone, Benzylpenicillin, Levomycetin - for neurological symptoms;
• Ceftriaxone, Penicillin G, Doxycycline, Amoxicillin - for cardiac symptoms and joint damage.

Lyme disease - consequences

In the absence of timely correct treatment, the consequences of borreliosis can be as follows:

• degenerative changes in joints;
• paralysis;
• disruption of myocardial function;
• loss of hearing, vision;
• swelling at the site of the bite;
• dementia, etc.

Prevention of borreliosis

Currently, Lyme disease cannot be prevented through vaccination. Therefore, prevention of Lyme disease is carried out by minimizing the risk of ticks getting on the body, which is ensured by:

• wearing light-colored clothing that covers the body as much as possible when going out into nature;
• using tick repellents;
• periodically inspect clothing and body for ticks.

Borreliosis - prevention after a bite

To prevent borreliosis from developing after a tick bite, you should:

1. After carefully removing the tick, lubricate the bite site with iodine solution;
2. Consult a doctor;
3. According to the regimen prescribed by the doctor, no later than the fifth day after the bite, carry out emergency antibiotic prophylaxis (often with Doxycycline or Ceftriaxone).

You can watch the video to see how to properly remove a tick:

Lyme disease - rules for successful treatment - Medical information portal website

And we also have

Tick-borne borreliosis (Lyme disease) is a disease that has a wide range of clinical presentation and leading to disastrous results.

People are poorly informed about this issue and, as a rule, ignore the first signs of borreliosis, later greatly regretting it.

Experts also do not agree on the diagnosis of this disease and its treatment. The article will help you understand the question of what kind of disease this is and why you should know about it.

Causes of tick-borne borreliosis

Lyme disease is an acquired, infectious disease. The causative agent of the disease is an ixodid tick infected with Borrelia, and in particular its bite.

The first symptoms of borreliosis become headache and muscle pain, fatigue, redness of the skin (erythema).

Subsequently, there is a rapid proliferation of microorganisms - borrelia, damaging the tissues of the internal organs and body fluids of the patient, pain in the joints and muscles appears, affects the nervous system and musculoskeletal system, heart and, as a consequence, loss of ability to work.

The danger of this disease is that if not treated correctly, it can develop into a chronic form, lasting for several years, with constant relapses.

People are affected by Lyme disease several times more often than.

The disease is named after the town of Lyme, in the USA, where a case of the disease was first recorded and described. Currently, the disease is observed in most of the states of the country.

According to the latest statistics, cases of the disease have occurred in some European countries. Russia was no exception. Cases were recorded in different parts of the country.

Risk factors and groups

At risk for Lyme disease includes:

1. Risk factors are places with lush vegetation, temperate climate zones (forests, parks, recreation areas).
2. The time of year (according to statistical data of registration of the first and last seasonal cases) is March - October. The summer months are considered to be the peak of infection activity.
3. The risk group includes residents of wooded areas, forestry workers, hunters, fishermen, and summer residents
4. Pets that are outdoors (can carry ticks indoors).

Classification of the disease

In the medical literature, Lyme disease is classified according to many parameters.

Course of the disease

There are such types:

According to clinical signs

For acute and subacute courses they are identical and are described in in general:

• erythema form with damage to the nervous system, joints and heart;
• non-erythematous form with damage to the nervous system, joints and heart.

Chronic flow:

• continuous with damage to the nervous system, joints, muscles and heart;
• with relapses affecting the nervous system, joints, muscles and heart.

According to severity of manifestation

There are three degrees gravity:

• light;
• average;
• heavy.

Epidemiology and etiology

Natural carriers of Lyme disease pathogens are animals(deer, dogs, large and small livestock, rodents), so there is a risk of infection for those who keep pets.

Infection occurs through the bite of a tick, which is found in large numbers in mixed forests and becomes active in the spring and summer.

To date, Borrelia has been little studied. There are clinical research results that are questionable by some doctors, but they all agree that spirochetes have a small diameter and are able to penetrate everywhere.

They multiply rapidly at a temperature of about 35 degrees. More than 10 groups of various types of Borrelia have been identified throughout the globe; therefore, the effect of certain antibiotics is not always effective.

Signs and symptoms of Lyme disease

Symptoms of borreliosis after a bite

• redness of the skin appears in the form of a spot (stays on the skin for several weeks, then goes away on its own);
• the spot is constantly increasing in size;
• has a round (less often oval and irregular) shape;
• the outer edge of the spot is raised;
• Possible headaches, general fatigue of the body, fever.

After 4 weeks, tick-borne borreliosis has the following symptoms:

• signs of damage to the nervous system, joints and heart;
• headache and sore throat, nausea;
• pain in muscles and tendons;
• facial paralysis, insomnia;
• speech and memory impairment;
• arrhythmia, chest pain, dizziness.

If you are interested in the differences about Lyme disease, then you should read our material.

You are tormented by an unbearable headache, but you just can’t choose migraine pills that will help you do it.

The first symptoms of borreliosis in a person after a tick bite

Lyme disease borreliosis has the following initial symptoms:

1. Redness appears on the skin at the site of the tick bite in the first two days. If dirt gets into it, a purulent focus may develop. Sometimes there is itching and tingling.
2. Increased body temperature, dizziness, general fatigue.

If these signs appear (if you were in a wooded area), you should urgently examine the skin and contact the clinic.

Acute symptoms

Like many diseases, Lyme disease varies separate stages (I, II, III). The patient does not always go through all stages, this is due to the fact that I and II are early phases, and III is the final (last).

First stage

Signs of tick-borne borreliosis at the first stage characterized by the appearance on the skin there is erythema, which has the shape of a ring. Appears at the site of a tick bite and then spreads to other areas of the skin.

Patients experience about general fatigue, headache and pain in the neck, increased body temperature up to 40 degrees. The infection (at this stage already enters the bloodstream) is accompanied by: chills, nausea, fever (for 2-7 days), constant drowsiness.

Sometimes there is no erythema on the skin, but there is slight itching and tingling at the site of the bite.

Stage two - more severe

Signs of Lyme disease on the second stages:

• damage to the nervous system and the development of Bannworth syndrome or meningitis (headaches, facial nerve paresis, nausea, vomiting);
• damage to the cardiovascular system with the development of myocarditis, pericarditis and blockades of various degrees (pain in the heart, tachycardia, increase in heart size);
• various skin lesions (redness);
• conjunctivitis and arthralgia may develop;
• There is an enlargement of the liver, hepatitis (mild form), and dropsy of the testicles.

This is due to the fact that borrelia are already penetrating the organs and tissues of the patient’s body. Most often, after a month, when the period of fever passes, the erythema disappears on its own.

Stage three - final

Tick-borne borreliosis (Lyme disease) has such symptoms in the third stages:

• arthritis;
• atrophic acrodermatitis (chronic form);
• polyneuropathy.

Chronic form

After some time, which can range from 2-24 months, if the diagnosis and treatment were incorrect, the disease becomes chronic.

Characterized by:

The most dangerous thing is that the chronic form can lead to complete or partial loss of performance.

Diagnostics

When considering diagnostics, you should first pay attention to the time of year.

If it is the end of spring or beginning of autumn (not excluding summer), it is worth inspect the skin more carefully, after visiting forests, parks, garden plots or lakes with abundant vegetation.

If you have been bitten by a tick, you should contact attention to:

If you have visited such places, take precautions.

Treatment of the disease

Find out more from our article.

What needs to be done immediately after a tick bite and further treatment of tick-borne borreliosis with antibiotics

Often enjoying the first spring sun and green foliage, or hiding from the summer heat in cool places under trees, on lakes in tall grass...

Video: Tick-borne borreliosis (Lyme disease)

Tick-borne borreliosis is an infectious disease, the source of infection most often being a tick. Characterized by transmissible transmission. Affects the skin, nervous and cardiovascular systems, joints.

This dangerous infectious disease can affect patients of any gender and at any age. But more often its manifestations are noticed in children under 15 years of age and in adults from 24 to 44 years of age. Lyme disease is transmitted to people through the bite of a tick that carries the infectious agent. What it is and how to deal with the disease under discussion is described in the material.

Tick-borne borreliosis is an infectious disease of a bacterial nature. It is caused by spirochetes (spiral-shaped bacteria), which are transmitted through the bite of immature infected ticks.

The development of the disease is accompanied by damage to the tissues of the nervous system, skin on various parts of the body, as well as joints and the heart. First, pathogens actively multiply on the skin, then enter the internal organs. They can remain in the body of an infected person for a very long time, as a result of which the disease becomes chronic. The main problem is that the insects that carry the infection are very small, and their bites are painless. Therefore, patients may not notice the problem for a long time.

The disease received this “fruit” name because it was first diagnosed and described in the American town of Lyme. This happened back in 1975.

Prevalence and routes of infection

The first cases of infection with the new disease were reported in North America. Later it was found out that at the same time the disease was diagnosed in different countries of Europe and Asia. In Russia, borreliosis was identified in the mid-80s of the last century. Currently, it is diagnosed in patients quite often.

The source of infection is many types of domestic and wild animals. These are moose, deer, some rodents, dogs, sheep, and birds. But identifying Borrelia burgdorferi in the tissues of animals turned out to be extremely difficult even with the use of the most modern medical equipment.

Ticks, which contain pathogenic organisms in their saliva and gastrointestinal tract, usually live in temperate climates in mixed forests. They are located on bushes and trees (at a low height), from where they easily jump onto the hairs of passing animals. During certain periods, migratory birds also actively carry infected insects.

The pathogen can enter the human body in various ways:

1. The most common route is through the blood (along with the saliva of the tick at the time of the bite).
2. Occasionally, cases of infection have been recorded after drinking goat's milk without prior boiling.
3. You can also become infected by rubbing tick feces or saliva on the skin with obvious damage.

Symptoms and signs of borreliosis

No more than 30% of all patients remember an episode with an insect bite. Other children and adults simply do not notice what has happened and, as a result, ignore all the initial symptoms of the disease. Often, symptoms of borreliosis are attributed by patients to a common ARVI.

Main symptoms of Lyme disease:

1. Redness at the site of the bite. It is a rounded spot with uneven borders and a compacted center. Gradually, the redness may increase in diameter to 17-22 cm. Such spots are called erythema. The disease may not be accompanied by their appearance, but in this case it is much more severe.
2. Joint damage. All their parts are involved in the inflammatory process. Cartilage and bone tissue are gradually destroyed.
3. Severe shooting pains in the muscles that disturb night sleep.
4. Signs similar to those of a cold are swollen lymph nodes, increased body temperature, general weakness, sore throat.
5. Dizziness, stiffness in the neck.
6. Strong headache.
7. Fainting, chest pain, shortness of breath.
8. Facial nerve paralysis.

As a rule, the listed symptoms develop within 1-2 weeks after a tick bite. Signs from the last items on the list are extremely rare in patients.

If the disease has been neglected, it will manifest itself with more serious symptoms. Among them: chronic fatigue, sleep problems, pain in muscles and joints, mental disorders, memory loss and others.

Stages of the disease

Experts conditionally divide the entire period of the disease into three main stages.

1. First stage lasts approximately 30 days from the moment of being bitten by an infected tick. In this period the patient feels general malaise and notices flu-like symptoms. An increase in body temperature to 40 degrees can bother a person for 15 days. Nausea, sore throat, and vomiting are rarely observed. In this period the spot at the site of the bite on the patient’s body quickly increases in size. If proper treatment is started in time, the redness will go away within a few days. Otherwise, it can remain on the skin for up to 2 months.
2. Second stage develops only in the absence of competent comprehensive treatment of the disease. Several weeks to months after infection, the patient experiences damage to the nervous system, skin (for example, urticaria) and the cardiovascular system (pain in the heart). This same stage is characterized by sore throat, diseases of the eyes, liver, kidneys and even bronchitis.
3. Third stage The disease forms after the end of the first two - approximately 2-3 months after the tick bite (sometimes after 5-6 months). The disease becomes chronic. The patient constantly feels weak, feels tired, his sleep is disturbed, and depression may even begin. Damage to various internal systems and organs continues.

Chronic Lyme disease

Chronic borreliosis is the third stage of the disease under discussion, described above. It develops only in cases where the infection was not treated at all or the wrong treatment plan was drawn up for the patient.

The chronic version of the disease occurs with a constant alternation of remissions and exacerbations. In most cases, this form is accompanied by acrodermatitis atrophicus and arthritis. The latter can lead to complete destruction of the bone or cartilage in the joint, which as a result becomes non-functional and requires replacement with a prosthesis.

Another common symptom of the chronic form of the disease under discussion is benign lymphocytoma. A tumor-like neoplasm appears in the area of ​​the scrotum, nipples and ears.

General principles for diagnosing borreliosis

Diagnosis of tick-borne borreliosis is greatly complicated by the fact that the symptoms of the disease are similar to those of other ailments. It is also not easy to identify its chronic form, when the disease occurs without skin rashes.

First of all, the doctor asks the patient questions about visiting parks and forest belts during a dangerous period and the likelihood of a tick bite. In addition, an examination is carried out for the presence of characteristic spots and rashes on the body, and the temperature is measured.

A mandatory procedure is a general blood test. In some cases, the patient is prescribed a cerebrospinal fluid test. Even less commonly, a serological test is recommended.

Lyme disease treatment

Competent, effective treatment of Lyme disease must be comprehensive. Antibacterial therapy is a very important part of it. Its main task is to suppress the development of the pathogen. Antibiotics prevent the disease from becoming chronic.

He is being treated in hospital. Only people with erythema migrans and no symptoms that bother them can refuse hospitalization. The latter can carry out treatment at home, but also under the constant supervision of doctors.

The choice of drugs for therapy depends on the stage of the disease. Usually the patient is prescribed antibiotics (Doxycycline, Ceftriaxone and others similar) for a period of 2 to 4 weeks. This is typical for all three stages. The doctor determines additional treatment procedures after studying the individual characteristics of the course of the disease of each individual patient.

Prognosis for the disease and complications

With timely detection of the disease and proper treatment with high-quality modern antibiotics, the prognosis for recovery is always favorable. The sooner a person consults a doctor, the easier it will be to avoid dangerous complications.

Experts include deterioration of heart function, irreversible changes in the functioning of the nervous system and inflammatory diseases of the joints among the likely consequences of tick-borne borelliosis. The latter cannot be avoided even with competent, comprehensive, timely treatment of the disease.

If the disease is advanced and the person refuses therapy, this can lead to a complete loss of performance as a result of non-functioning of the affected joints. In especially severe cases, the disease causes the death of the patient.

Disease Prevention

To date, there is no vaccine that protects children and adults from the disease under discussion. Therefore, special attention should be paid to its prevention. Its main part will be measures to prevent the bite of infected insects.

During the period of maximum tick activity, you should avoid walking in parks and forests. They are especially active during the mating season - April and May. If you had to go to a wooded area, you need to protect exposed skin with thick clothing. It is also advisable to use repellents.

If a tick does bite an adult or child, you need to properly remove it, treat the damaged area with an antiseptic, and take the insect to the laboratory to be examined for the possibility of infection with a dangerous disease.