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disease is caused by the parasite Borrelia, which has well over
three hundred known genomic strains but is usually cultured as Borrelia
burgdorferi, Borrelia afzelii or Borellia garinii. Different Borrelia
strains are predominant in Europe and North America.
The disease has been found to be transmitted to humans by the
bite of infected Ixodes ticks. Not all ticks carry or can transmit
this particular disease.
The Lyme controversy
Though there is no doubt that Lyme disease exists, there is considerable
controversy, both within the medical community and within an associated
community of Lyme patients and other laymen, as to the prevalence
of Lyme disease, the proper procedure for diagnosis, the proper
procedure for treatment, and the likelihood of a chronic, antibiotic-resistant
Lyme infection.
On one extreme, many conventional medical practitioners believe
that Lyme disease is relatively rare, is easily diagnosed with
available blood tests, and easily treated with two to four weeks
of antibiotics. On the other extreme, a number of practitioners
hold that Lyme disease is extraordinarily common (and under-diagnosed),
that available blood tests for it are nearly worthless, and that
extended antibiotic treatment (many months) is often necessary
to eradicate the disease.
As is common in such controversies, likely the truth lies somewhere
in-between. For this reason, readers are cautioned to treat any
Internet source of information about Lyme disease (including this
one) with more than the usual degree of skepticism.
Symptoms
Lyme disease has many signs and symptoms, but skin signs, arthritis
and/or various neurological symptoms are often present. Conventional
therapy is with antibiotics.
Acute (early) symptoms that may occur
"bull's-eye" rash (erythema migrans - an expanding circle
or ring of inflamed skin surrounding the initial tick bite) or
papular (raised) rash
fever
malaise
fatigue
headache
muscle and joint aches in large joints
sore throat
sinus infection
paralysis
Chronic (late) symptoms
meningitis
neuropathy - numbness, tingling, burning, itching, oversensitivity
muscle and joint aches
tremor, twitches
Bell's palsy
pain
immune suppression
myalgia
fatigue
hallucinations
short-term memory loss
adrenal disorders
severe startle reaction
seizures
sensitivity to light, motion
vestibular symptoms (balance; inner/middle ear)
hyperacusis (severe sensitivity to sound & vibration)
depression
The late symptoms of Lyme disease can appear months from infection.
Fatality can occur when the spirochete enters brain fluids and
causes meningitis, or due to conductivity defects in the heart.
Lyme disease is sometimes misdiagnosed as multiple sclerosis,
rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome,
or other (mainly autoimmune and neurological) diseases, which
leaves the infection untreated and allows it to further penetrate
the organism. These conditions may also be misdiagnosed as Lyme
disease, e.g. due to false-positive Lyme serology.
Source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyme_Disease
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