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Lyme Disease Research Paper

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Lyme disease is a bacterial disease. It was first seen in 1975 when there was an unknown outbreak of arthritis near Old Lyme, Connecticut, giving it the name Lyme disease. Since 1975 the number of cases have greatly increased. It impacts approximately 25,000 US residents every year. It is usually found in the northeastern United States, northern California, and north central states, like Minnesota and Wisconsin. There are however, cases in every state and various countries around the world. It is interesting that this disease mostly impacts the United States.
Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, which is transmitted through the bite of an infected deer tick. They cannot fly or jump and thus often attach in the grass or weeds. When the tick finds a feeding spot, it grasps the skin and cuts into the surface. The tick then inserts its feeding tube. The feeding tube can have barbs, which help keep the tick in place. The tick must usually be attached for 36 to 48 hours or more before the Lyme disease bacterium can be transmitted. There is no evidence showing Lymes disease can transmit through …show more content…
A ring-like red rash occurs in about 70 - 80% of cases and begins 3 to 32 days after the bite of an infected tick. The red rash at the bite site is circular and grows larger over a few days or a few weeks. It is accompanied by other symptoms like fatigue, chills and fever, headache, swollen lymph nodes, and joint and muscle pain. If left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system. Symptoms vary based on the length of time a person has been infected. Patients treated with appropriate antibiotics in the early stages of Lyme disease usually recover rapidly and completely. Antibiotics commonly used for oral treatment include doxycycline, amoxicillin, or cefuroxime axetil. Lyme disease bacteria are Gram negative and a Lyme disease Gram stain is used in identification of

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