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Lyme Disease

Lyme Disease. Lyme Disease Fact or Fiction. What organism causes it?. Caused by a bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi Named after Dr. Willy Burgdorfer , who discovered the agent of Lyme disease in 1982. How is it transmitted?.

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Lyme Disease

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  1. Lyme Disease Lyme Disease Fact or Fiction

  2. What organism causes it? • Caused by a bacteria, Borreliaburgdorferi • Named after Dr. Willy Burgdorfer, who discovered the agent of Lyme disease in 1982

  3. How is it transmitted? • Infection is transmitted by the bite of infected ticks (blacklegged or deer tick, Ixodesscapularis) • Ticks pick up the bacteria when they bite infected mice or deer • Ticks spread the disease to other animals, including humans

  4. How is it transmitted? • Passed to humans when an infected tick bites a person & stays attached long enough to take a blood meal (usually at least 24-36 hours)

  5. Where & when was it first discovered? • Named after the town of Lyme, Connecticut, where the illness was first identified in the U.S. in 1975 • Research started after a mysterious group of rheumatoid arthritis cases occurred among children

  6. Is it common in PA? • Cases have been reported in nearly every state • Concentrated in east coastal states, north central states, & northern California • Lyme disease cases have grown 78% in the past decade • Increase in whitetail deer population • More people moving to rural areas • Changes in collection of information

  7. What are some signs & symptoms? • Early symptoms within a week, other symptoms can appear weeks, months or years later • Tiredness, chills, fever, headache, muscle and/or joint pain, swollen lymph glands, skin rash (red circular patch)

  8. How can it be treated? • Blood screenings can be used to diagnose • Antibiotics • Patients treated with appropriate antibiotics in the early stages of Lyme disease usually recover rapidly and completely. • Vaccine discontinued in 2002

  9. What can happen if it’s left untreated? • Arthritis • Nervous system problems (numbness, meningitis, Bell’s palsy) • Irregularities of the heart rhythm

  10. What can you do to prevent getting it? • Avoid exposure to infected ticks • Wear long sleeves and pants tucked in socks • Light-colored clothing • Use insecticides • Check yourself & your pets for ticks after outdoor activities

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