Lyme disease is an infectious bacterial disease spread by the bite of an infected ixodes tick. The ixodes tick is a specie of tick popularly known as the black legged tick, it is majorly found in the eastern and northern mid-western parts of the united states of America.
It is also responsible for the transmission of other diseases like babesiosis, anaplasmosis and the powassan virus disease. Apart from humans the ixodes tick also parasitizes other animals like mice, lizards, bears and birds. Lyme disease affects people of all ages especially those who spend more time in grassy areas or in other places that encourage tick growth. The Lyme disease can affect the nervous system, the joints and even the heart in the human body.
Mode of transmission Lyme disease is transmitted when an ixodes tick spends a long time on its host just like the mosquito while it feeds on your blood it transmits the bacteria. It can also be transmitted from an infected mother to foetus. Lime disease cannot be transmitted by contact with infected person or staying in the same room with infected person. There is prove to show that Lyme bacteria can live in the blood, but there has not been any reported case of transmission through blood transfusion.
1. Symptoms of Lyme disease
Lyme disease symptoms could be quite tricky, since they are similar to other disease symptoms. Few of them are given below.
2. Red expanding skin rash
This rash begins at the spot of the bite and begins to spread. It is usually reddish in people with light skin.
3. Lightheaded feeling
In the early stages of infection, infected person might often feel lightheaded.
4. Facial muscle paralysis
Part of the facial muscle might appear to be paralysed and might cause affected area to slag.
5. Pain and swelling in joints
When Lyme disease affects joints ,they become swollen and start to hurt.
6. Fatigue
Infected persons might frequently get fatigued and might always feel weak.
7. Memory loss
Lyme disease remains untreated it could affect organs like the brain and cause memory loss.
8. Sleeplessness
Lyme disease causes inability to sleep, sometimes it could be related to pain in joints and itching rashes.
9. Prevention
Prevention of Lyme disease basically involves avoiding tick bites. And this can be achieved by
Avoid walking in bushy areas
Wear long clothing while going to bushy areas
Spray fumigants to stop breeding of ticks
Early and adequate treatment should be taken when symptoms are observed to avoid spread of the bacteria.
Lyme disease can easily be treated by taking prescribed antibiotics.
Image courtesy of: menshealth.com, utahstemcelltherapy.com.
