Borrelia Burgdorferi

• What does Borrelia burgdorferi cause?


  • Lyme disease
• What is Lyme disease characterized by?


  • arthritis, and other dermatological, cardiac, and neurological abnormalities
• What might children infected with lyme disease have?

  • Bell's palsy (temporary paralysis)
• How is Borrelia burgdorferi transmitted to humans?


  • tick bite
  • Hard ticks of the genus Lxodes are the vectors
  • must remain on host for at least 48 hours
• What are the animal reservoirs for Borrelia Burgdorferi?


  • Mice and deer
  • Humans are dead-end host
• Where is Borrelia Burgdorferi endemic?


  • Northeast United States and upper Midwest
  • Geographic range is spreading due to climate change
• What are the three phases of disease in untreated patients?


  1. Expanding red "bull's eye" rash occurs at infection site within 30 days

  • symptoms: fever, chills, headaches, dizziness, fatigue, joint pain, lymphadenopathy

  1. Neurological symptoms and cardiac dysfunction
  2. Severe arthritis that can last for years

  • Result of body's immune response
• How can Borrelia burgdorferi be diagnosed?


  • rarely through presence of bacteria in blood smears;
  • mostly through serological tests
  • a two-stage testing process to measure the body's production of antibodies to the Lyme disease bacterium is recommended
• What is the treatment for Borrelia burgdorferi?


  • Antimicrobial drugs (doxycycline) effectively treat first stage of Lyme disease (bulls-eye)
  • Treatment of later stages difficult because symptoms primarily result from the immune response
• How can Borrelia Burgdorferi infections be prevented?


  • avoid ticks and using DEETS