Lyme Disease
Introduction
Lyme disease is a term used to describe arthritis, encephalomyelitis or peripheral neuropathy. Today LD is the most common tick-borne disease in the northern hemisphere. The number of reported cases of infection is increasing each year. There is an assumption this increase is related to climate change, and it is expected to grow even more. Control and prevention of LD faces difficulties, as infected ticks are dispersed by migratory birds infecting the wildlife populations which eventually leads to endemic cycles of infection.
Slide 2
As you can see on the slide, LD has spread to many countries on five continents. This map is built using various articles, Lyme Disease Association and World Health Organization websites. Countries were LD activity based on human positive samples, infected animals and ticks has been reported in some countries are shown in dark grey shading. Lighter grey shading represents countries where LD has been reported on the sub-national level. And in white are the countries where LD cases are very rare or unknown of.
Slide 3
In the USA, 12 states account for 95% of all the cases: Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York, Jersey, Conneticut, Minnesota, Maine, Maryland, Wisconsin, Virginia, Rhode Island, New Hampshire. Despite the increase in public awareness of LD and all the preventive measures, the incidence of LD in North America has increased. The rise in human cases, reported every year around the world calls for a better understanding of the ecology of this disease. This presentation will mainly focus on prevention and control strategies of LD.
Slide 4
Lyme disease is an infectious disease caused by a bacterial pathogen Borrelia burgdorferi and transmitted primarily by the bite of white-tailed deer tick Ixodes scapularis. Most Human cases of infection result from a bite by nymphs. Although deer are considered to be the main reservoir, chipmunks and other small rodents also pose a threat.
Slide 5
This incubation period for LD is about 1-2 weeks, but it can be shorter or longer depending on the bitten individual. The infection can occur asymptomatically in less than 8% of the cases. The most common symptom on the early stage of the disease when the infection has not spread throughout the body is a painless red and circular rash expanding outwards often called bullseye rash. Affected individuals also develop flu-like symptoms such as muscle soreness, fever, headache and malaise. In later stages, various neurological symptoms occur such as facial palsy and meningitis which includes neck stiffness and sensitivity to light. Sleep disturbance and other symptoms might occur. If the patient is not treated properly, after several months, he could suffer from serious neurological disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorders and even impairment of motor and sensory function.
Slide 6
Some of the measures to be taken to lower the chances of being infected are to wear protective cloths (long pants tucked into socks, long sleeves) in forested areas. White color is also is a good choice of cloths, since it helps detecting ticks when attached to cloths. Always check your pet or any pet you …
