Tick-borne borreliosis is an infectious disease that is transmitted by the bite of an ixodid tick. The disease affects the joints, heart, skin and nervous system. Early detection and the correct course of antibiotic therapy often leads to recovery. Late diagnosis of the disease or improperly prescribed treatment contributes to the development of a chronic form, which is difficult to treat. The disease is caused by a microorganism called borrelia, and its ticks carry it. In 1975, this disease received a second name - Lyme disease, when cases of infection were recorded in the small town of Lyme (USA). This article will describe the main symptoms and consequences of borreliosis.
Causes of disease
- The main reason is the bite of a tick, which is a carrier of borrelia (small microorganisms shaped like a twisted spiral). Horses, cows, goats, deer, rodents serve as their natural reservoir. Iscod ticks, feeding on the blood of animals, become infected and become carriers of the disease. And they pass Borrelia from generation to generation.
- Insect feces - the contents of the intestines and feces of an infected tick, which also contain borrelia, when crushed, get on the skin, and when combed, they penetrate.
- Incorrect tick removal. When an insect is damaged, microorganisms easily find themselves in the wound.
- Consumption of thermally processed milk from an animal carrier of microorganisms.
- Infection can be transmitted from mother to fetus during pregnancy. In other cases, a person with borreliosis is not dangerous to others.
The most favorable periods for contracting Lyme disease are spring, early summer and autumn. People have a high susceptibility to this disease.
Disease forms
Downstream, like many diseases, borreliosis can have two forms:
Acute, which begins immediately after a tick bite (lasts three months) and passes in the form of:
- erythema (abnormal reddening of the skin), which increases in diameter over time;
- no redness at the bite site; in this case, the symptoms of borreliosis and the consequences occur immediately: the joints, heart and nervous system are affected.
Chronic, which, in turn, is subdivided into:
- continuous - symptoms of the disease are constantly observed;
- recurrent - episodic manifestation of signs of the disease associated with lesions of the heart, skin,nervous system and joints.
There are three degrees according to the severity of the course of borreliosis:
- easy;
- medium;
- heavy.
Sometimes the disease occurs in a latent form, when a person has no manifestations of the disease, and the pathogen is detected only in laboratory tests.
Stages of Lyme disease
According to the characteristic features, the course of the disease is divided into several stages:
- hidden or incubation period - from the beginning of a tick bite to the onset of the first symptoms of borreliosis in a person, it takes from three days to a month;
- first - the development of infection at the site of the bite;
- second - the spread of Borrelia from the primary focus along the lymphatic and blood tracts, serous membranes and throughout the body;
- third - chronic; the infection gets into some separate organ or body system.
The division of the disease into stages is conditional. There is no clear boundary between them. The first two are called the early period, and the last is an advanced form of Lyme disease. Each stage of the disease has its own symptoms.
Symptoms in the first stage of the disease
The duration of this stage is about a week. At this time, in humans, the symptoms of borreliosis (photo below) are very similar to signs of severe intoxication with SARS.
The patient has:
- At the bite site, a uniform pink spot with a dark dot in the center appearsslight swelling. The spot gradually increases, its edges are clearly distinguished by a bright, red color, forming a swelling. Redness, increasing in size up to 6 cm in diameter, forms an annular shape. Sometimes (very rarely) there may be no symptoms of tick-borne borreliosis on the dermis.
- Soreness, itching appears, sensitivity is disturbed, the skin tightens. The reddened area becomes hot.
- Signs of intoxication are characterized by headache, weakness, chills, fever up to 40 degrees.
- Periodic muscle pain, aching joints.
- Tormented by dry cough, itching and sore throat.
- Inflammation of the lymph nodes near the bite.
- Nausea occurs, possible vomiting.
The first symptoms of borreliosis (photo above) weaken after a few days and completely disappear even without any treatment, and when taking antibiotics, a full recovery is possible.
Signs of the disease in the second stage of borreliosis
During this period, changes occur in the joints, skin, nervous system and heart.
When the nervous system is damaged, it may occur:
Serous meningitis - headaches, photophobia, strong sensitivity to various irritants, muscle tension in the back of the head, fatigue
Symptoms of borreliosis in humans are manifested in the form of insomnia, emotional disorders, impaired memory and attention. When analyzed in the cerebrospinal fluid, an increased content of protein andlymphocytes.
- Cranial Nerve Injuries - The facial nerve is the most commonly affected. There is paralysis of mimic muscles. As a result, a distorted face appears, the eyes may not close and the muscles of the mouth may not work. As a result, there is a violation of speech and swallowing. Paralysis occurs immediately on both sides of the face or alternately. Timely treatment gives good results and he alth is restored.
- Rodular lesions of the spinal nerves - the symptoms of tick-borne borreliosis are manifested by shooting pains. In the trunk - encircling, in the limbs - directed from top to bottom. In addition, muscle sensitivity is impaired. Unsteadiness and instability appear, involuntary movements occur, trembling in the limbs.
When an infection enters the joints, arthritis occurs, which capture one or more compounds at once. Often this occurs in the ankles, elbows, knees and hips.
The defeat of the heart by Borrelia leads to the occurrence of myocarditis and pericarditis. The patient develops palpitations, retrosternal pain, heart failure, shortness of breath.
From the skin symptoms of borreliosis, it should be noted a small rash, erythema in the form of rings that appear in the groin, nipple or earlobe, face and forehead. They are hemispherical tumor elements the size of a pea, sometimes larger, brownish-brown.
In the second stage of the disease, other organs can also be affected: kidneys, liver, bronchi. Symptoms appear within a few weeks, and recurrence is possiblediseases.
Symptoms of Stage III Lyme Disease
In the absence of treatment or improper therapy, the disease enters the chronic stage, which occurs after 6 to 12 months. By this time, some system or organ is damaged:
- Central nervous system – characterized by increased fatigue, excitability or depression.
- Integument - dermatitis, connective tissue pathology with subsequent atrophy, various seals, fingertips and feet are affected.
- Musculoskeletal system - symptoms of borreliosis are manifested by changes in muscle tone, gait, inflammation of the joints.
The disease has a long course with alternating exacerbations and remissions.
Diagnosis of disease
The following measures are used for diagnostics:
- all facts related to the tick bite are revealed;
- complaints of the patient are analyzed;
- the site of the insect bite is being examined to determine the treatment of symptoms of borreliosis (photo below);
- a general urine and blood test is ordered;
- material is taken for sowing from the affected area;
- enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay that detects substances of a protein nature: enzymes, viruses, fragments of bacteria;
- antibody test;
- spinal puncture;
- Ultrasound of joints;
- cardiac ECG;
- MRI of the brain.
When bitten by a tick, you should contact the clinic as soon as possible to remove it andlaboratory test for tick-borne borreliosis.
Borreliosis in humans: symptoms and treatment
The course of treatment of the disease is carried out depending on the symptoms and stage of the disease. At the first, the following therapy is prescribed:
- Antibiotic treatment - use: "Doxycycline", "Tetracycline", "Cefuroxime" and "Flemoxin". During treatment, you should strictly follow the drug regimen prescribed by the doctor for two weeks.
- Treatment of individual symptoms of the disease of the affected organs.
In the second stage of the disease, antibacterial agents are administered intramuscularly or intravenously. To do this, use "Penicillin" and "Ceftriaxone". When they enter the bloodstream, they immediately kill Borrelia. Treatment continues for three weeks. Most patients recover after treatment.
In the third stage, antibiotics continue to be administered intravenously, eliminating the symptoms and consequences of borreliosis (photo below).
If antibiotic therapy is ineffective, when the patient's condition does not improve, he is replaced by another. For symptomatic treatment, fever-lowering agents, antihistamines, and heart medications are used. In addition, vitamin complexes are required to strengthen the immune system.
Physiotherapy for Lyme Disease
In the chronic course of the disease, when the joints are affected, neuritis, arthritis and other articular pathologies appear, to relieve symptoms and treat borreliosis, they prescribephysiotherapy procedures. Their reflex effect is transmitted through skin receptors to internal organs and systems, improving muscle and vascular tone, metabolism and respiration. As a result, joint inflammation is reduced and blood circulation is restored. The most commonly prescribed procedures are:
- physiotherapy exercises - the method is based on the use of physical exercises;
- UHF - heat treatment using ultra-high frequency electromagnetic field;
- ultraviolet radiation - has a strong chemical and biological effect;
- electrophoresis - the introduction of drugs through the skin and mucous membranes using direct electric current;
- magnetotherapy - the method is based on the impact of a low-frequency constant or alternating magnetic field on the human body;
- massage - rubbing body parts for therapeutic purposes.
With timely treatment of the symptoms and consequences of borreliosis in humans (photo above), the prognosis may be positive. In other cases, a chronic form of the disease develops and serious diseases of the joints, nervous system and brain. In any case, even with a long and difficult treatment of Lyme disease, one should not despair. Modern medicine has accumulated considerable experience in dealing with this disease and can help to cope with most of the clinical manifestations.
Folk remedies for the treatment of disease
To cure borreliosis disease, an integrated approach is used. People'smedicine is used as an addition to the medical method of restoring and treating the symptoms of tick-borne borreliosis. Here are some recipes for improving the condition in the presence of some signs of illness:
- Strawberry leaves. To prepare the infusion, take 50 g of dry raw materials and pour two cups of boiling water. Insist for 6 hours and drink 60 g three times a day before meals. Herbal solution improves metabolism, has a choleretic effect, is a source of vitamins and trace elements.
- Cucumber grass, nettle, horsetail and comfrey. All of the listed herbs contain silicon, which helps to eliminate microorganisms and reduce the symptoms of borreliosis. The infusion is prepared from two tablespoons of dry raw materials of any plant, pouring a liter of boiled water. After infusion, the drug is taken hot for six months, changing the herb every month.
- Tansy, wormwood, immortelle, yarrow, elecampane. Used to restore liver function and purify blood and lymph. To make tea, take two tablespoons of raw materials from one of the plants and pour a liter of boiling water. After insisting, drink half a glass three times a day.
- Initial letter medicinal. The plant has anti-inflammatory, choleretic, sedative and analgesic effects. For infusion, 100 g of dry grass is poured with a liter of boiling water. Take 100 ml daily before meals.
- Take the same amount of medicinal raw materials: calendula, blackberry, hawthorn, valerian root, horsetail, St. John's wort, linden, black elderberry, oregano and add thyme to them. cookdecoction and take it several times a day for 50 ml.
Features of food
When the disease borreliosis is a strong oppression of the body. The patient always feels pain in the joints, weakness, depressed mood. To recover, he needs peace, lack of stress and overwork, as well as high-quality nutrition, which helps to reduce the symptoms of borreliosis, the inflammatory process, and supports digestion and the immune system. Patients are advised to consume:
- fish containing Omega-3 fatty acids, salmon, cod;
- fermented milk products - yogurt, kefir, fermented baked milk. They promote the elimination of toxins;
- chicken meat and eggs;
- cottage cheese and products from it;
- linseed and pumpkin seed oil;
- pistachios and peanuts;
- spinach and cabbage; they contain antioxidants, flavonoids, vitamin C, which help protect cells from damage;
- blueberries and blueberries - have anti-inflammatory effects;
- turmeric - has antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties.
The daily diet must contain vegetables, fruits, herbs, sauerkraut, freshly squeezed juices from currants, lingonberries, cherries, cranberries.
Consequences of the disease after a tick bite
Antibiotic therapy gives good efficacy in treating symptoms of borreliosis. And the consequences for a person become much less. Timely access to a medical institution reduces the risk of complications and the transition to a chronic form.
After all, this disease can affect the nervous system, resulting in inflammation of the spinal cord and brain, paralysis appears, coordination of movements is disturbed, and memory is disturbed. In addition, often there are inflammatory processes of the membranes of the heart, various lesions of the joints, and the ability to work decreases. All patients with Lyme disease are observed by a doctor for two years. Only after this is a diagnosis made of its transition to a chronic form or complete recovery occurs.
Prevention measures
There is no effective vaccine to prevent borreliosis, so it is very important to minimize the risk of tick bite. For this you need:
- Avoid thick bushes and trees in parks and woodlands.
- Clothes for walks in the forest should be light in color with the most closed areas of the body. Wear a shirt with long sleeves, trousers with an elastic band at the ankles, and a hat or scarf over your head.
- Treat exposed areas of the body with insect repellent creams, sprays and ointments.
- Don't sit on the grass and try not to come into contact with the leaves of the trees.
- When leaving the forest, inspect clothing and exposed areas of the body.
When bitten by a tick, be sure to visit a medical facility where a course of antibiotics will be prescribed and an examination of the insect will be conducted.
How to remove a tick?
The surest option is when a medical worker removes the tick. In some cases, you have to do it yourself. Take offthe insect must be very careful not to leave part of the proboscis under the skin. You should do it like this:
- Grab the insect very close to the mouthparts with tweezers or make a loop of strong thread and throw it over the insect. Hold the body strictly perpendicular to the bite surface and rotate it around the axis 2-3 times. It is advised to turn clockwise.
- Disinfect the bite site with iodine, alcohol or any alcohol-containing products.
- Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water.
- When tearing off the head or proboscis, treat the bite with alcohol or iodine.
Place the removed tick in a closed container, put a small piece of damp cotton wool there, deliver it to a medical facility where it will be examined.
Conclusion
With the onset of a warm spring or autumn period, people massively go to nature. Many of them do not think that in addition to rest and positive emotions, one can seriously suffer from the bites of ixodid ticks. They are the cause of a serious and very dangerous disease - borreliosis. It has many negative consequences and manifestations associated with the defeat of the main systems of the human body. The danger lies in the fact that for a long time no signs and symptoms of borreliosis may appear, and this leads to the development of a chronic form.
