Lyme Disease Update Review
Information on lyme disease symptoms,sign,diagnosis,treatment and complication.This is an infectious disease caused by ticks infected with Borrelia burgdorferi.
Surgery in Lyme Disease
There is no surgical treatment indication for Lyme disease.
In severe cases of chronic Lyme arthritis, removal of the lining of the affected joints (synovectomy) may be needed if the arthritis has not responded to antibiotics.
What can I do to lower my chances of getting Lyme disease, or any other disease, from ticks?
Prevention begins with you! Take steps to reduce your chances of being bitten by any tick. Ticks are most active during warm weather, generally late spring through fall. However, ticks can be out any time that temperatures are above freezing. Ticks cling to vegetation and are most numerous in brushy, wooded or grassy habitats. They are no found on open, sandy beaches, but may be found in grassy dune areas. When you are outside in an area likely to have ticks (e.g. brushy, wooded or grassy places), follow these simple steps to protect yourself and your loved ones: Use a repellent with DEET (the chemical N-N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) or permethrin according to the instructions given on the product label. DEET products should not be used on infants under two months of age and should be used in concentrations of 30% or less on older children. Permethrin products are intended for use on items such as clothing, shoes, bed nets and camping gear, and should not be applied to skin.
Lyme Disease Prevention
Prevention
The best prevention against Lyme disease is to avoid being bitten by ticks. Individuals who spend a lot of time outdoors should be aware of the danger and make it a habit to regularly check their bodies for ticks. The tick requires time to attach itself and begin feeding. It is possible to remove ticks before they are able to transmit the disease. Ticks should be grasped with tweezers at the point where their mouthparts enter the skin and pulled straight out with firm pressure. Immature ticks are small and difficult to detect; often they appear as a freckle or mole.
- Stay out of dense undergrowth unless absolutely necessary. Walk on closely mowed grass or paved walkways whenever possible.
Prophylaxis of Lyme Disease
Routine use of antimicrobial prophylaxis after a tick bite is not recommended. However, some experts recommend amoxicillin for pregnant women who remove an engorged deer tick after exposure in an endemic area. Persons who develop a rash or illness within a month after a tick bite should seek prompt medical attention. Strategies to prevent Lyme disease include avoiding tick habitats, wearing protective clothing, using repellents to avoid tick attachment, promptly removing attached ticks, and using community measures to reduce tick abundance.
The Lyme disease vaccine is made from recombinant OSP-A of B burgdorferi. Antibodies produced in response to the vaccine destroy spirochetes in the gut of the engorged tick before they can be transmitted. It is indicated for use in adults, in three doses intramuscularly at 0, 1, and 12 months. Ideally the third dose should be given in March because the tick season in the Northeast and upper Midwest usually begins in April. The efficacy of the vaccine has been reported to be 76% after the third dose; however, the long-term safety, timing of booster doses, and cost effectiveness are unknown. Use of this vaccine should be limited to persons with frequent or prolonged exposure to tick habitats in endemic areas.
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Control of Lyme disease
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