Bacterial infection caused by the bite of an infected tick.
The tick gets infected by biting an infected rat or deer and, in turn, when the tick bites a person, the bacterium disseminated in the organism and causes the disease.
Initially, it causes fever, chills, joint pain, headache, muscle pain, neck stiffness and general malaise. Later, a target-shapped rash appears on the skin with a red area in the centre surrounded by a clear halo and a red halo in the periphery. After a few days, there is pain in the area near the sting, palpitations, paralysis in the face, joint swelling and even disturbances of speech or thought.
A diagnosis is reached with the complete review of the patient's medical history, a physical examination and blood tests. If the infection has spread, the study may need to be completed with an electrocardiogram, a cardiac ultrasound to determine the extent of heart involvement and a brain ultrasound or lumbar puncture with spinal fluid sampling to determine the nervous system involvement.
Treatment is based on the administration of antibiotics. Anti-inflammatory drugs will be prescribed to improve stiffness and muscle and joint pain.
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- M. E. García, C. Skinner, J. C. Salas, J. Ocampo. Enfermedad de Lyme: actualizaciones. Gac Med Méx. 2014;150(1):84-95.
- MedlinePlus. Rockville. 2017. Enfermedad de Lyme; [citado el 25 de julio de 2017]. Disponible en: https://medlineplus.gov/spanish/ency/article/001319.htm
- UpToDate [Internet]. Waltham. 2017. Clinical manifestations of Lyme disease in adults; [citado el 25 de julio de 2017]. Disponible en: http://www.uptodate.com/contents/clinical-manifestations-of-lyme-disease-in-adults?source=search_result&search=enfermedad+de+lyme&selectedTitle=1~150
