Lyme disease

Abstract

Abstract Lyme disease (LD) is the most prevalent vector-borne illness in the United States and Europe, caused by the tick-borne spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. LD infections are recorded in about 20,000 instances each year. The most significant risk is to people who live in coastal areas, such as the Great Lakes region, northwest California, and the Northeast. A higher risk applies to young people and people who spend much time outside in woody areas. Erythema migrans, the most common skin lesion, is caused by the deposition of spirochetes in human dermal tissue, which causes an inflammatory reaction. The prognosis is excellent if correctly and quickly addressed. Although the condition can appear clinically in many ways, the most common ones in untreated patients typically involve the heart, joints, or central nervous system. Diagnosis is typically made clinically. Doxycycline or amoxicillin are used as treatments. Cefuroxime or erythromycin are frequently used as alternatives. Ceftriaxone or penicillin G must be administered intravenously for late or severe illness. In some patients, single-dose doxycycline (200 mg orally) is frequently administered as prophylactic. Patients should be encouraged to take preventative measures to help lower risks.