What is the disease caused by subcutaneous ticks called?

What is the disease caused by subcutaneous ticks called? - briefly

The infection is called Lyme disease, a bacterial illness transmitted by ticks that embed beneath the skin. It is caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi.

What is the disease caused by subcutaneous ticks called? - in detail

The illness transmitted by ticks that embed beneath the skin is Lyme disease, a bacterial infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi and, in some regions, related Borrelia species. The pathogen is introduced when an infected Ixodes tick remains attached for 36–48 hours, allowing spirochetes to migrate from the tick’s salivary glands into the host’s dermal tissue.

Epidemiology

• Predominant in temperate zones of North America and Europe.
• Highest incidence during late spring and early summer, coinciding with peak nymph activity.
• Risk factors include outdoor recreation in wooded or grassy areas and lack of protective clothing.

Clinical presentation

1. Early localized stage (3–30 days post‑bite)
   • Erythema migrans: expanding, annular rash with central clearing.
   • Flu‑like symptoms: fever, chills, headache, fatigue, myalgia.
2. Early disseminated stage (weeks to months)
   • Multiple erythema migrans lesions.
   • Neurological involvement: facial palsy, meningitis, radiculopathy.
   • Cardiac manifestations: atrioventricular block, myocarditis.
3. Late disseminated stage (months to years)
   • Arthritic episodes, especially in large joints.
   • Chronic neurological deficits: peripheral neuropathy, encephalopathy.

Diagnosis

• Clinical assessment of rash and exposure history.
• Serologic testing: enzyme‑linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) followed by Western blot for confirmation.
• Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on synovial fluid or cerebrospinal fluid when serology is inconclusive.

Treatment

• Doxycycline 100 mg orally twice daily for 10–21 days (first‑line for adults and children >8 years).
• Amoxicillin or cefuroxime for patients unable to tolerate doxycycline.
• Intravenous ceftriaxone for severe neurological or cardiac involvement.

Prevention

• Wear long sleeves and pants in endemic habitats.
• Apply EPA‑registered repellents containing DEET, picaridin, or IR3535.
• Perform thorough tick checks after outdoor exposure; remove attached ticks promptly with fine‑pointed tweezers, grasping close to the skin and pulling steadily.
• Landscape management to reduce tick habitats around homes.

Prognosis is favorable when therapy begins early; delayed treatment increases the likelihood of persistent musculoskeletal and neurological complications.