The Microbiology Of Lyme Disease

At the time my doctor and I were under the impression that it would be a short recovery and we were very relieved that my symptoms would resolve quickly. However we were wrong. What we thought was going to be a month of antibiotics turned out to be three and a half years, two of which I was essentially confined to my bed. While my friends were off at football games, shopping, and attending school, I was doing what I could to avoid spending my nights in the emergency room. Every day was a struggle. I suffered from a variety of symptoms, including headaches, muscle pain, joint pain, dizziness, and fatigue. I would sleep for 14 hours and wake up exhausted, of course this was only on the nights were I wasn’t in too much pain too sleep. Despite how terrible Lyme disease was I am more than grateful that I was able to come out a stronger person. Without Lyme I do not think I would have the same determination, focus, or confidence that I posses

A person can acquire Lyme disease by the bite of an infected tick. This disease is transmitted by deer ticks or black-legged ticks. Ticks are tiny in size and as their bite is painless, people might not even realize that they have been bitten. Once an infected tick attaches itself to the skin, it is able to transmit the bacteria. This bacteria eventually ends up in the bloodstream. The duration of attachment necessary to transfer

Lyme disease has emerged as the most common vector borne infectious disease in the United States and has presented a growing challenge to public health officials over the past three decades. The infection represents a significant disease burden to the population of the United States with nearly 30,000 new cases diagnosed per year and an estimated additional 270,000 annual incident cases that go unreported. The disease results from a bacterial infection with the spirochete bacteria B. burgdorferi. This bacterial agent is transmitted to humans from the bite of a tick and is most commonly associated Ixodes species blacklegged ticks. These ticks represent the largest genus of the family Ixodidae and mainly inhabit temperate forest or grassland

I chose to do my research paper on Lyme disease. During my research, I found a lot of interesting facts about Lyme disease. The disease is caused by bacteria, called Borrelia burgdorferi, which is only transmitted to humans when they are bitten by an infected tick. Lyme disease was first discovered in 1975, in Lyme, Connecticut, after a group of children were diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. This eventually led them to discover the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi. The disease was given its name in 1982, after the town of Lyme, Connecticut. According to Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Lyme disease is the most commonly reported vectorborne illness in the United States. In 2014, it was the fifth most common Nationally Notifiable disease. Lyme disease is most prevalent in the northeast and upper Midwest.

In the lymphatic system, the lymph nodes acts as filters, catching substances harmful to the body, like toxins, bacteria, cancer cells, and viruses. The plague directly targeted this form of defense. The plague has three forms of infection, based on how the bacteria were transmitted to the individual. These forms are bubonic, septicaemic and pneumonic. The Bubonic form was the most common, especially during the 14th century; this form of the plague came directly from flea bites. With the Bubonic plague, the bacteria travel to the lymph nodes where it begins to multiply. The lymph node begins to become inflamed. The swollen lymph nodes are called “buboes”. The swollen nodes soon begin to cause sores, and if left untreated, the Bubonic plague can turn into the septicaemic form. The septicaemic form is a result of the Y. pestis entering the bloodstream. Since the bacteria are overwhelming the lymph nodes, and causing them to swell, the immune system is compromised. Individuals with the septicaemic form of the plague suffer with a high fever and eventually die of multiple organ failure. The last and most fatal form of the plague is the pneumonic plague. When infected with the pneumonic plague, the individuals develop a cough due to high levels of mucus buildup in the lungs, about 99% of those who contract this form die. Although the disease is fatal if left untreated, there is

Yersinia Pestis, an infectious agent is the cause of the Bubonic Plague. Yersina Pestis is a bacteria, which means the cells lack the internal organization of eukaryotic cells. These bacteria cells would contain the membrane but they would not be able to subdivide the inside of the cell. These bacteria cells do not have a nucleus so instead they have a nucleiod that contains genetic material. The two types of bacteria cells are gram-negative and gram-positive. Yersina Pestis is gram negative and that means that antibiotics are less effective on the plague because of a lipopolysaccharide layer over their walls that adds extra protection.

Lyme’s Disease kept me from doing the things I love. I couldn’t swim, and had to quit my old swim team. I couldn’t hike, and had to be left behind from family adventures. I couldn’t hang out with friends, because I didn't have any. I was imprisoned to my ailing body, at eleven years

What is Lyme disease, and why is it important? Lyme disease is a tick-borne disease created by bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. “The infection is primarily transmitted by Ixodes ticks, also known as deer ticks, and on the West Coast, black-legged ticks” (Lymedisease.org). It’s hard to identify the ticks because of their tiny size, similar to a poppy seed. To make that exact the female adult deer tick is about 2.7 mm in length, and the male is smaller than that (tickencounter.org). The size makes it even more difficult to feel or find a bite from the tick. However, the consequences can be very serious, sometimes even fatal (cdc.gov). Lyme disease is a serious public health in the United States that is overlooked.

Lyme disease is an infection produced by bacteria called Borrelia Burgdorferi. This bacteria or germ is ordinarily found in shrews, deer, mice, and squirrels. Ixodes bugs, normally called deer ticks, often feed on the blood from an infected animal. When this happens, the tick then becomes a carrier of the bacteria that causes Lyme disease and can infect you with this germ through your skin. Infected deer ticks are normally found in the northeast and upper Midwest United States because of the climate and humidity levels, and become more active in the late spring and early summer months after the birth of new larvae. Lyme disease is known to cause a skin rash called erythema migrans and can leave you problems with your joints, brain, heart, and nerves. The

The group of a Missouri lady who kicked the bucket from an uncommon tick-borne sickness is standing up about the perils of the infection, which has just been affirmed in a modest bunch of patients since it was found in 2014. Tamela Wilson, who passed on June 23 of complexities coming from Bourbon infection, had worked at Meramec State Park in Sullivan, and expelled two ticks from her body half a month before falling sick, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch announced.

Treat the gut first. Many people with chronic Lyme disease have gut dysbiosis (an imbalance in the good gut flora). A high quality, potent probiotic is a good first step.

Chronic Lyme disease isn't the only medical issues that Lacey Miller has. Lacey Miller has arthritis, dementia, loss of vision, seizures and many other medical problems. Lacey is currently unemployed and bedridden. Lacey doesn't let chronic Lyme disease let get her depressed, however. Lacey is a loving mother and wife that spends time with her family making them laugh and smile.

Lyme is a disease that is transmitted through the bite of a tick. "It is caused by a spirochete – which is a corkscrew shaped bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi" (About Lyme Disease. 2017). (Show Photo)

Lyme disease, also known as Lyme borreliosis, is an infectious disease caused by bacteria of the Borrelia type.[1] The most common sign of infection is an expanding area of redness, known as erythema migrans, that begins at the site of a tick bite about a week after it has occurred. The rash is typically neither itchy nor painful. About 25% of people do not develop a rash. Other early symptoms may include fever, headache, and feeling tired. If untreated, symptoms may include loss of the ability to move one or both sides of the face, joint pains, severe headaches with neck stiffness, or heart palpitations, among others. Months to years later, repeated episodes of joint pain and swelling may occur. Occasionally, people develop shooting pains or tingling in their arms and legs. Despite appropriate treatment, about 10 to 20% of people also develop joint pains, have memory problems, and feel tired much of the time.[2]

Lyme borreliosis or Lyme disease can be devastating both physically and mentally for victims. The disease is transmitted by a vector, specifically a tick, which infects their host by biting and infecting them with pathological spirochete bacteria known as Borrelia burgdorferi (Muschart & Blommaert, 2015). There are several species of Borrelia globally, and as a group, the bacteria are referred to as Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Pearson, 2015). The disease originated from, Lyme Connecticut, of which it was named, after a patient was mistakenly diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis when the cause of their disease was B. burgdorferi or Lyme disease (Snow, 2013). Lyme disease is classified as one of the most common and growing vector-born disease in the United States as well as Europe (Snow, 2013). Understanding how Lyme disease progresses through the body as well as the disease’s signs and symptoms are essential to understanding how to treat the disease and stop it from spreading throughout the body with destructive results. With a disease as potentially devastating as Lyme disease, early treatment is required for a better outcome (Pearson, 2015). This research paper will discuss the pathophysiology of three Lyme conditions known as Lyme arthritis, Lyme neuroborreliosis, and Lyme carditis and provide an overview of the signs and symptoms of Lyme disease and treatments, and how to prevent infection.