Lyme disease is a multi-stage inflammatory disease that affects all the systems of the body, including the brain. Diagnosis is difficult, and treatment remains controversial. Lyme disease is an infectious disease caused by the bacteria “Borreliaburgdorferi�. It is transmitted to humans by the bite from an infected black-legged or deer tick. A tick has to be attached to the skin for twenty-four to forty-eight hours to transmit the infection. Lyme is one of the most challenging and complex disease that can be highly difficult to diagnose because it occurs with symptoms that matches with other illnesses such as flu, fever etc. In this guide we will discuss the various methods to diagnose Lyme disease.
Blood tests: Blood tests that are done for Lyme disease can be categorized into two different parts: ELISA and Western Blot Both of them are used to detect the infection caused by Lyme disease. Both tests detect the antibodies produced when the immune system of the body responds to the infectious microorganism. This is the first test done for the Lyme disease. This test detects the antibodies against B. Burgdorferi. The result of this can either be falsely positive or negative. The falsely negative test results appear due to lack of the response of antibodies in the human body. If the test is equivocal(not clearly positive or negative), then Western Blot test is performed for the confirmation of the disease.
1. Oral Antibiotics: They are the standard treatment which is given at the early stage of the infection. This includes dosage of doxycycline for adults and children older than 8. Amoxicillinor cefuroxime can also be given to the adults and pregnant or breast-feeding women as these antibiotics are quite safe. The course lasts for around 10-14 days. 2. Intravenous- This is given when the infection spreads over central nervous system. The treatment may take 14-28 days to completely eradicate infection. These antibiotics may cause side effects which include lower white blood cell count, diarrhea, or colonization or infection with other antibiotic-resistant organisms. Even after the completion of treatment, some patients may suffer with symptoms such as fatigue and muscle aches.
3. Bismacine- Another available drug for Lyme disease treatment is injectable compound known as ‘chromacine’that contains high levels of metal bismuth. Although bismuth is used in few medicines to cure stomach ulcers, it is not approved for usage in injectable form or as a treatment for Lyme disease. Not only this, The Food and Drug Administration also warns against the use of bismacine as it can cause bismuth poisoning, thus leading to heart and kidney failure. 4. If not diagnosed and treated early, Lyme disease can become chronic, thus affecting the patient adversely. If you are looking for best medicinal advice for this infection, visiting AONM is the best bet. You can also visit their website to find out more about them.
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