Lyme disease causes

Lyme disease Microchapters
Home
Patient Information
Overview
Historical Perspective
Classification
Pathophysiology
Epidemiology and Demographics
Causes
Differentiating Lyme disease from other Diseases
Risk Factors
Screening
Natural History, Complications and Prognosis
Diagnosis
History and Symptoms
Physical Examination
Laboratory Findings
ECG
X-ray
CT scan
MRI
Ultrasound
Other Imaging Findings
Other Diagnostic Sudies
Treatment
Medical Therapy
Surgery
Primary Prevention
Secondary Prevention
Future or Investigational Therapies
Case Studies
Case #1
Lyme disease causes On the Web
Most recent articles
Most cited articles
Review articles
CME Programs
Powerpoint slides
Images
American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Lyme disease causes All Images X-rays Echo & Ultrasound CT Images MRI
Ongoing Trials at Clinical Trials.gov
US National Guidelines Clearinghouse
NICE Guidance
FDA on Lyme disease causes
CDC on Lyme disease causes
Lyme disease causes in the news
Blogs on Lyme disease causes
Directions to Hospitals Treating Lyme disease
Risk calculators and risk factors for Lyme disease causes

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Overview

Lyme disease is caused by Gram-negative spirochetal bacteria from the genus Borrelia. At least 37 Borrelia species have been described, 12 of which are Lyme related. The Borrelia species known to cause Lyme disease are collectively known as Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, and have been found to have greater strain diversity than previously estimated.

Until recently it was thought that only three genospecies caused Lyme disease: B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (predominant in North America, but also in Europe), B. afzelii, and B. garinii (both predominant in Eurasia). However, newly discovered genospecies have also been found to cause disease in humans.

Causes

Borrelia bacteria, the causative agent of Lyme disease. Magnified 400 times.

• Lyme disease is caused by bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi (B. burgdorferi). Blacklegged ticks carry these bacteria. The ticks pick up the bacteria when they bite mice or deer that are infected with Lyme disease. You can get the disease if you are bitten by an infected tick.

• Lyme disease was first reported in the United States in the town of Old Lyme, Connecticut, in 1975. In the United States, most Lyme disease infections occur in the following areas:

• Northeastern states, from Virginia to Maine
• North-central states, mostly in Wisconsin and Minnesota
• West Coast, particularly northern California

• Important facts about tick bites and Lyme disease

• In most cases, a tick must be attached to your body for 24 - 36 hours to spread the bacteria to your blood.
• Blacklegged ticks can be so small that they are almost impossible to see. Many people with Lyme disease never even saw a tick on their body.
• Most people who are bitten by a tick do not get Lyme disease.

• 

  Dorsal view of an adult female western blacklegged tick, Ixodes pacificus which has been shown to transmit Borrelia burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme disease. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL).

• 

  Dorsal view of an adult female western blacklegged tick, Ixodes pacificus which has been shown to transmit Borrelia burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme disease. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL).

• 

  Scanning electron micrographic (SEM) image depicts dorsal view of an unidentified engorged female tick, extracted from the skin of a pet cat, viewed under low magnification of 26X. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL).

• 

  Scanning electron micrographic (SEM) image depicts dorsal view of an unidentified engorged female tick, extracted from the skin of a pet cat while in the process of obtaining its blood meal (207X magnification). The wrinkled, expandable tissue enables the tick to ingest huge quantities of blood. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL).

• 

  Scanning electron micrographic (SEM) image depicts dorsal view of an unidentified engorged female tick, wextracted from the skin of a pet cat while in the process of obtaining its blood meal (201X magnification). From Public Health Image Library (PHIL).

)

References

Template:WikiDoc Sources