Treatment of Lyme Disease (Lyme Borreliosis)

About the disease

Lyme disease is an infectious disease caused by bacteria of the Borrelia type and is usually transmitted through the bite of a black-legged deer tick. People who live in areas where there are a lot of trees and grass are most at risk of being infected with Lyme disease, since it is in these areas that ticks thrive, especially in the summertime. It is therefore important to take special protective measures when going on hiking trips or when living in cabins in the forest.

Usually, a tick needs to be attached to the skin for around 38 hours for the bacteria to spread. Regular checking of the skin is therefore very important in countryside areas. Lyme disease starts off as a small red bump on the skin at the site of the tick bite. However, lots of other ticks cause similar bumps, so it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have caught Lyme disease if you find one during a hike.

Lyme disease mostly manifests itself up to 30 days after being bitten by the tick. Symptoms often start with a rash, which might spread over a larger surface area but is rarely painful or itchy. If not treated in time, the person who was bitten may also develop a fever and chills. In some cases, they may also experience muscle pain. Lyme disease can cause serious neurological problems, so it is important to treat it as soon as possible.  

Symptoms

• A red bump on the skin
• A rash, which appears up to 30 days after the bite occurred
• Fever
• Chills
• Weakness
• Fatigue
• Muscle pain

Diagnosis

• During a general examination, the doctor will ask the patient if they have been bitten lately or if they had recently been somewhere that ticks are prevalent.
• The doctor will examine the patient’s skin to check for signs of a tick. If a tick is found, it will either be carefully removed by the doctor or by a specialist if it proves to be more difficult.
• If the patient also has a rash that is not itchy or painful, the doctor is likely to diagnose them with Lyme disease without needing to perform any further testing.
• If an ELISA test identifies antibodies in the patient’s blood, this is a sign that they have probably caught Lyme disease.

Treatment

• Conservative treatment is usually sufficient to stabilize the patient. Antibiotics will be prescribed, which need to be taken for approximately 14 days to completely fight and eliminate Lyme disease.
• Simple insect repellents are usually enough to prevent Lyme disease. It is advisable to use these to prevent further bites from ticks if living or going on vacation in woodland areas.

Authors: Dr. Nadezhda Ivanisova, Dr. Farrukh Ahmed