What is the disease caused by a tick bite called? - briefly
Lyme disease is the infection transmitted by Ixodes ticks that carry the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. It manifests with fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash.
What is the disease caused by a tick bite called? - in detail
Lyme disease is the most common illness transmitted by a tick bite. It is caused by the spirochete bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi (and, in Europe, B. afzelii and B. garinii). The vector is the black‑legged tick (Ixodes scapularis in the eastern United States, I. pacificus on the West Coast, and I. ricinus in Europe).
Epidemiology
- Endemic regions: Northeastern and upper Midwestern United States, Pacific Northwest, parts of Europe and Asia.
- Seasonal peak: Late spring through early fall, when nymphal ticks are most active.
- Incidence: Approximately 300,000 cases reported annually in the United States.
Clinical presentation
- Early localized stage (3–30 days after bite)
- Erythema migrans: expanding red rash, often with a central clearing.
- Flu‑like symptoms: fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle aches.
- Early disseminated stage (weeks to months)
- Multiple erythema migrans lesions.
- Neurologic involvement: facial palsy, meningitis, radiculopathy.
- Cardiac involvement: atrioventricular block, myocarditis.
- Late disseminated stage (months to years)
- Arthritis: intermittent or persistent joint swelling, especially knees.
- Chronic neurologic problems: peripheral neuropathy, encephalopathy.
Diagnosis
- Clinical assessment of rash and exposure history.
- Serologic testing: two‑tiered approach with enzyme‑linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) followed by Western blot for confirmation.
- Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on synovial fluid or cerebrospinal fluid in selected cases.
Treatment
- Early disease: oral doxycycline 100 mg twice daily for 10–21 days (alternative: amoxicillin or cefuroxime).
- Neurologic or cardiac manifestations: intravenous ceftriaxone 2 g daily for 14–28 days.
- Late arthritis: prolonged oral doxycycline or a course of intravenous antibiotics if refractory.
Prevention
- Personal protection: use of EPA‑registered repellents containing DEET or picaridin, wearing long sleeves and pants, tucking pants into socks.
- Landscape management: keep grass mowed, remove leaf litter, create barriers between wooded areas and recreational zones.
- Tick checks: prompt removal of attached ticks within 24 hours reduces transmission risk.
- Prophylactic antibiotics: a single dose of doxycycline within 72 hours of a known tick bite may be considered in high‑risk areas when the tick is attached ≥36 hours.
Other tick‑borne infections, such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever (Rickettsia rickettsii), anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, and babesiosis, present with distinct clinical patterns and require separate diagnostic and therapeutic protocols. Accurate identification of the specific pathogen guides appropriate management and improves patient outcomes.