infectious diseases

Lyme disease for short

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Lyme disease	Anthropozoonosis of bacterial origin transmitted by ticks which mainly affects the skin; often the internal organs, the joints and the nervous system are also affected
Lyme disease: incidence	The most frequent human disease transmitted by ticks 1985: 14, 000 patients diagnosed with this disease were diagnosed Italy: Lyme disease endemic in the North (in Liguria, Trentino and the Carso) Globally: Lyme disease has endemic outbreaks around the world, ranging from Japan to Canada, from Australia to Europe
Etymology of the term	1975: the epidemic struck a small town in Connecticut called Old Lyme
Lyme disease: causes	The causative agent is a beating: Borrelia burgdorferi Borrelia burgdorferi infects ticks (especially of the genus Ixodes), the vector of the disease Mammals, birds and rodents: ideal replication tank Infected ticks, with the bite, transmit the disease to humans Borrelia burgdorferi → infected mammals, birds and rodents → ticks → man
Lyme disease: incubation period	Variable: 3-14 days
Lyme disease: clinical manifestations in humans	The typical symptoms of Lyme disease can be summarized in three main stages: Chronic migrant erythema: a huge circular-oval or, in other cases, triangular spot Fever, muscle pain, physical fatigue, headache, neck stiffness, cardiac, joint and / or neurological pain. Also possible dizziness, shortness of breath and / or inflammation at eye level (Neglected disease): long-term damage, injuries to the nervous system and skin, difficulty concentrating, memory loss, mood changes and irritability
Lyme disease: diagnosis	Immunological blood tests (IFA or ELISA) not entirely reliable for differential diagnosis Response to IgM-specific Chain polymerase reaction Clinical observation
Lyme disease: diagnostic limits	Completely reliable and standardized serological tests are lacking Very wide differential diagnosis Specific IgM response: ascertained not earlier than 3-6 months after the onset of symptoms → waiting times too long Partially controversial tests of Lyme disease Painless tick bite (remains unnoticed) Many prodromes of the disease are very common among other diseases
Lyme disease: prognosis	For patients where Lyme disease is recognized and established, the prognosis is good as it is treated promptly
Lyme disease: therapies	Antibiotic treatment addressed to the confirmed infectious agent Amoxicillin administration (for a period ranging from one to three weeks) Variants: Penicillin or Erythromycin Antibiotic therapy associated with corticosteroids in case of severity
Lyme disease associated with skin rash and joint pain	Antibiotic therapy is effective but should not continue for too long periods The pain tends to regress gradually but completely in most cases
Lyme disease: prevention	A safe vaccine aimed at preventing Lyme disease has not yet been developed → search for an experimental vaccine, potentially capable of stimulating the host's immune system to produce antibodies against Borrelia Avoid tick infections (disease vector) Attention during mountain excursions Gently remove the tick from the skin with tweezers and thoroughly disinfect the area Medical advice is always recommended