Borreliosis (Lyme disease)

Lyme bor­re­lio­sis is a bac­te­ri­al infec­tion trans­mit­ted by ticks that can affect the skin, joints and ner­vous sys­tem. It is the most com­mon tick-bor­ne dise­a­se in Euro­pe. When detec­ted ear­ly it can usual­ly be trea­ted well.

Cau­ses

The patho­gens are bac­te­ria of the Bor­re­lia burg­dor­fe­ri group, which live in the tick’s gut. Trans­mis­si­on usual­ly occurs only after seve­ral hours of fee­ding, which is why remo­ving the tick ear­ly signi­fi­cant­ly redu­ces the risk. Not every tick bite leads to infection.

Sym­ptoms

The lea­ding ear­ly sign is ery­the­ma migrans: a ring-shaped, slow­ly expan­ding area of red­ness with a paler cent­re that appears days to weeks after the bite. Later, joint inflamm­a­ti­on, ner­ve pain, facial pal­sy and car­diac invol­vement may fol­low. A rare late skin form is thin, bluish skin on the arms or legs.

Tre­at­ment

Tre­at­ment is with anti­bio­tics over two to three weeks; in the ear­ly stage the infec­tion usual­ly resol­ves com­ple­te­ly. The dia­gno­sis is based on the cli­ni­cal pic­tu­re, while blood tests are main­ly hel­pful in later stages. Pro­tec­tion con­sists of cove­ring clot­hing, repell­ents and che­cking the skin dai­ly after spen­ding time outdoors.