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Lyme Disease Research Paper

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Elizabeth Baker
Microbiology
3 September 2017

Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne disease in the United States. A lot of people think that Lyme disease is caused by a virus. It is spread to humans mainly through tick bites, but some species of flies, fleas and mosquitoes can transmit it as well (Kurnatowski). Blacklegged ticks that are infected with a bacterium called Borrelia burgdorderi are the culprits of the spread of Lyme disease. According to the CDC, ticks usually must be attached for 36 to 48 hours to successfully transmit the disease. Since most people who contract Lyme disease are infected by nymphs, immature ticks, it’s difficult to discover the tick. If you do discover a tick, removing it correctly is vital. Tweezers can be used to pinch the tick as closely to the skin as possible. Next, you should pull upward. If you twist or jerk when removing the tick, you could leave the head of the tick …show more content…
Fever, headache, fatigue and skin rash, erythema migrans, are the most common symptoms. Erythema Migrans rashes, or EM rashes, are the classic rash that is seen with Lyme disease. It is a “circular red rash with central clearing that slowly expands” (“Lyme”). Another general name for this rash is the red bull’s eye rash. It can also be oval shaped, and appear in several places on the body. As time goes on and the disease is left untreated, more severe symptoms start to develop. The infection can spread to joints, the nervous system and heart (“Lyme”). Facial paralysis, heart palpitations, short-term memory problems and nerve pain are some of the more severe symptoms. Lyme carditis is caused by the bacteria entering the tissue of the heart, which can cause an interruption in the normal electrical signals of the heart’s chambers. This complication causes “heart block” and can vary in severity, but progress rapidly. This only occurs in 1% of Lyme disease cases, but can be fatal

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