Lyme Disease

Borrelia burgdorferi is a spiral shaped bacteria typically transmitted through tick bites responsible for the condition known as Lyme disease. The disease was named after the town in which it was first diagnosed in 1975: Lyme, Connecticut. Willy Burgdorfer was the name of the discoverer of this bacterium. Lyme disease is cause for a variety of symptoms, many of which may be disabling and long term if not diagnosed and treated promptly with antibiotics.

Description: Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is a class of vector borne diseases. Vector borne diseases must be transmitted from one organism to another. In the case of Lyme disease, this transmission occurs from ticks to humans. The bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, inserts itself into the blood stream of the host, where it utilizes the host as an energy source for food and protection. Lyme disease is not contagious, and can not be transmitted from one person to another. Currently, there is no accurate exam for the diagnosis of Lyme disease, only the use of symptoms and patient history.

Lyme Disease Symptoms

Lyme disease is associated with several initial symptoms, particularly the presence of a red, round rash; commonly resembling a bull’s-eye. Flu-like symptoms are typically present, including fever, chills, fatigue, headache, and muscle/joint pain. Lyme disease is capable of entering the cerebrospinal fluid where it may hibernate for periods of time. This is similar to an incubation period. Long term incubations are commonly known as chronic Lyme disease and have several symptoms; neurological problems, Bell’s palsy, arthritis, confusion, irritability, numbness, mood swings, and fatigue.

Lyme Disease: Minimize your Infection Risk

Lyme disease can be difficult to diagnose and treat. Therefore, it is wise to decrease your risk for contraction of the disease. Provided is a list of ways in which this can be achieved.

• Use of tick repellent
• Decrease skin exposure
• Light colored clothing: Increases ability to see ticks
• Check pets for ticks
• Tuck pants into boots or socks
• Check for ticks: Underarms, groin, scalp, and behind the ears
• Remain calm: Remove tick with tweezers, as near to skin as possible
• Tick removal: Pull steady and slow straight away from skin
• Use of Products: Do not use alcohol, lit matches, or petroleum jelly
• Keep the tick: Put tick in enclosed container for identification purposes
• Physician contact: Contact your physician if a rash appears

Connections: Vaginal Yeast Infections and Lyme Disease

The contraction of Lyme disease does increase the overall chances for the development of a yeast infection, particularly if antibiotics have been prescribed for treatment. Lyme disease, as with the vast majority of conditions, is cause for a weakening of the immune system, giving Candida yeast an improved ability for overgrowth. Antibiotics further enhance the abilities for Candida yeast to flourish as it changes the normal environment of the vagina.

Antibiotics are known to increase the overall development of Candida yeast, leading to infections. This is due to the fact that antibiotics also kill the “good” bacteria responsible for the health of the reproductive system, particularly the vaginal environment. These “good” bacteria keep the Candida bacteria control and regulate the presence of Candida. The loss of “good” bacteria increases the overall risk of Candida yeast infections.

Learn more about Candida Albicans and Yeast Infections here.

Sources:
http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/common/standard/transform.jsp?requestURI=/healthatoz/Atoz/ency/lyme_disease.jsp
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/candidiasis-yeast-infection