Lyme Disease Essay

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Lyme Disease is classified as a bacterial illness which means it is passed from animals to humans. The disease is caused by the bacterium called “borrelia” which is part of the “spirochete” bacteria family. A simple strain of Borrelia called B.burgdorferi is responsible for most Lyme Disease cases in America.(Kelly) The history behind Lyme Disease is that it was only discovered in 1975. A group of children from Lyme, Connecticut were diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. Their concerned mothers made some researchers aware of their children’s disease. Researchers discovered the cause of the disease which was the bacterium spirochete found in ticks.(medicine.net) This bacterium is found in tick’s stomachs and they get the bacterium from their…show more content…
It can be be cured by antibiotics. Early stages can be cured by taking antibiotics by the mouth such as: doxycycline (Vibramycin). If caught in the early stages long term problems are less likely to occur. If gone untreated many neurological and heart problems may occur and arthritis. Neurological damage done by Lyme disease may include mood swings, difficulty remembering things or concentrating, a loss of memory and muscle weakness. The University of Maryland Medical Center warns that meningitis, poor motor coordination and Bell's palsy, a temporary paralysis of facial muscles, may also occur. Heart problems include, irregularities in heart rhythm, including heart palpitations or a slowing of the heart rate. Less obvious symptoms of heart issues include lightheadedness, shortness of breath and fainting. Chest pain may also occur. Fewer than 10 percent of infected people develop heart problems from Lyme Disease. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, approximately 60 percent of untreated people with Lyme disease will go on to develop arthritis and for 10 to 20 percent, the arthritis will be chronic. Later stages can be cured by shots of penicillin. Ibuprofen can also help bring down swelling and inflammation of joints in early and late stages. There was a prevention drug on the market for Lyme disease it was removed in 2002.

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