Disease and Pathology
Lyme disease, or lyme borreliosis, is an emerging infectious disease transmitted by ticks. Lyme disease is considered an emerging infectious disease because it’s incidence has increased over the past 20 years, and it was not identified until 1975 in the United States (CITE). Lyme disease is the most commonly reported vector-borne disease in the United States. Lyme disease causes symptoms similar to that of influenza, and includes headache, chills, fever, lethargy, and muscle pain in the initial stages. A bulls-eye shaped rash at the site of the tick bite can also occur in those infected, but not all infected persons develop the rash. The rash typically develops three to thirty days after the person is bitten. Later symptoms of Lyme disease include joint inflammation, stiff neck, body itching, and strange or unusual behavior. If left untreated Lyme disease can cause more severe long lasting problems such as permanent paraplegia, Lyme encephalopathy, psychosis, and Lyme arthritis (CITE). Lyme disease is rarely fatal, but incidence rates of 7 to 9.7 per 100,000 people have been reported. Transmission is not common, since only about 1% of recognized tick bites result in Lyme disease. It is possible that transmission is low because an infected tick must be attached for at least a day for transmission to occur. The incidence rate of Lyme disease varies from geographic location to location since ticks have particular ecological niches (CITE).
Agent
Lyme disease is caused by Gram-negative, spirochete bacteria from the genus Borrelia. The bacteria can spread throughout the body during the course of the disease. Areas the bacteria have been indentified include the skin, heart, joints, and both the peripheral and c...
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... population (CITE).
A vaccine was produced for use in the U.S. in 1998 but was withdrawn from the market by the manufacturer in 2002. Problems included poor demand, high cost, the need for a series of 3 vaccinations and boosters to maintain high titers, insufficient titers in approximately 5% of recipients, and theoretical concerns that vaccination might increase the risk of autoimmune arthritis. A 2nd-generation vaccine is being studied (CITE).
In Florida, 554 cases of Lyme disease were reported from 1999 through 2008 (average 55 cases per year), but the prevalence of Lyme disease is higher in other areas. During 1992--2006, a total of 248,074 cases of Lyme disease were reported to CDC by health departments in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories; the annual count increased 101%, from 9,908 cases in 1992 to 19,931 cases in 2006 (CITE).
On December 15, the patient comes in for his check up. The physician tells the patient his blood test was positive for Lyme and prescribes the patient antibiotics. However the patient now tells the doctor that he is still experiencing the weakness and fatigue even after the doctor’s advice. He also says he is having slight trouble swallowing foods and speech has become slurred and nasally at times. Due to the patients broad range of symptoms, the physician suggests the patient either get an electromyography o...
Lyme borreliosis is caused from the bacterial spirochete B. burgdorferi (“A History of Lyme”). It is a zoonotic disease carried by vectors and transmitted biologically (Tortora, Funke, and Case, 410). Lyme borreliosis has diverse symptoms, from a rash to neurological problems (Tortora, Funke, and Case, 651). The recommended treatment is antibiotics, but even with treatment some people still experience post treatment lyme disease syndrome (CDC). It is an Emerging Infectious Disease and is endemic in areas of the United States (CDC).
The effectiveness of vaccinations continues to be proven (Malone and Hinaman n.d.). For example, after development of the measles vaccine and the implementation of the vaccination program, the number of reported measles cases declined from 57,345 in 1977 to 2587 in 1984( CDC 2010 ). However, even though vaccinations have been proven safe and effective; there are still risks as well as the implication that not every person who is vaccinated will obtain immunity. That being said, serious damage from vaccination is a rare occurrence (Malone and Hinaman). A Glanz study (2013) from the Vaccin...
The article’s information is presented with the goal of informing a reader on vaccines. The evidence is statistical and unbiased, showing data on both side effects and disease prevention, providing rates of death and serious illness from both sides. This evidence is sourced from a variety of medical organizations and seems reliable, logical, and easily understood, no language that would inspire an emotional response is used. The validity of studies is not mentioned in the article, but it does encourage readers to investigate further to help make a decision. The article allows a reader to analyze the presented evidence and come to their own
The cattle tick Boophilus microplus is a significant ectoparasite of cattle and a vector for important diseases such as babesiosis
Lyme disease is one of the seven most common diseases reported in the United States to the CDC annually (www.cdc.gov). The rates have gone from 10,000 cases in 1992 to over 30,000 cases in 2009. 95% of these cases were found in the northeast and Midwest regions of the United States (Committee on Lyme Disease, 2011) . More cases happen in this area of the country due to the close proximity of deer to population. The bite itself isn’t the problem, rather the pathogen being spread in mammals from the bite. Lyme disease occurs when a tick penetrates the skin of mammals and the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi enters. Borrelia burgdorferi is carried by ticks named the Ixodes dammini, which is the main vector for Lyme disease. These may also be known as I. scapularis, and may be found on deer (Schilling-McCann, 2010). ¬¬¬In addition to Lyme Disease, ticks may also carry Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever or Tularemia (Smeltzer et al, 2010).
You wouldn’t think the carrier of this disease would come from a little mosquito bite but it does.
A disease is transmitted in one way or the other. Lyme disease is transmitted through a vector. The vector of the disease is an infected deer tick. The deer tick has to bite a person to spread the disease. When a deer tick bites a person (sucks blood), the Borrelia burgdoferi bacteria is transmitted into the persons body.
The extent of adverse reactions to vaccines is crippling. Every year, there are more than 20,000 vaccine adverse reaction reports that are filed with the US government (Merino 17). 13% are classified as serious, including death, lifelong disability or life-threatening illness (“Vaccines ProCon”). Considering that almost all Americans are vaccinated makes these numbers seem less significant. However, it is estimated that less than ten percent of adverse reactions are reported (“National Vaccine…”). This means that over 200,000 people in America are possibly affected in a negative way by vaccines per year.
...Although these were initially set to prevent infectious diseases it has been found that there is also prevention of autoimmune diseases, birth control and also cancer therapy. While vaccines provide a proficient means of preventing diseases and improving public health it doesn’t mean all are essential to a healthy life, some do more damage if a sufficient immune system is not present. How the vaccine is formulated and distributed is important to study and follow up on to be certain it is in the best interest of your body to receive the vaccine. Vaccinations will remain present, but it is our choice as individuals to know what they are composed of and how they are administered. Immunizations should be valued and taken seriously, this advancement in technology came at a high speed, which means flaws, and errors will exist, whether we notice them now or in the future.
Imagine being sick for months and months. Each day you discover new symptoms, and the ones you already had are continually getting worse. You go to the doctors because it has reached a point where you have Googled all your symptoms, Web MD says you are dying, The doctor says that your labs came back normal and therefore “it's all in your head”. The eventual diagnosis was Lyme Disease which is a vector-borne illness, that is transmitted by an insect bite, spider bite, and in some cases sexually transmitted. The effects of the disease on a Lyme patient’s body differentiates from person to person due to the fact that Lyme is not the only infection you acquire when you develop Lyme Disease. Lyme bacteria
Summary: Lyme disease is a tick-borne sickness that can affect anyone and you should not make a mistake of thinking that you’re immune of it. However, Lyme disease can be treated if you visit the right doctor on time. Also, follow a few tips and stay safe from Lyme disease.
Lyme Disease is the most common tick-borne illness in the United States as well as Europe. While Lyme disease is not found in all areas of the United States, it was the seventh most common notifiable disease in the year 2012 (CDC). Not only is the number of Lyme Disease cases rising, but 95% of the confirmed cases are from only thirteen states, these states being Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia, and Wisconsin (CDC). Lyme Disease is a growing problem in the Northeast and Midwest United States, and the public should have a basic knowledge on the disease, and how it can be prevented to decrease the Lyme Disease cases worldwide.
It is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected tick (CDC). Symptoms include fever, fatigue, headache, and skin rash. If left untreated or not treated properly with antibiotics, the infection can spread to the joints, heart, and nervous system (CDC). Diagnosis of Lyme disease is based on symptoms and possibility of exposure to an infected tick. Most patients with Lyme disease are cured with antibiotics within a few weeks. Currently, no vaccine is available to protect against Lyme disease, but preventative measures can be taken to reduce the risk of infection such as repellent, checking for ticks, removing ticks properly and wearing the proper clothing when outside
Vaccines are becoming increasingly hazardous for many children and parents are not being informed about the safety of their children. Current reports are linking vaccines to serious life-threatening disorders such as asthma, autism, immune system dysfunction, and mental retardation (Williams). These recent revelations are causing an increasing amount of people to claim religious and medical exemptions from vaccines. From 1999 to 2006, exemptions have more than doubled from 9,722 to 24,919 (Cronin). It is very clear that vaccinations are posing many problems for parents everywhere. Each day researchers are finding out about vaccines and are realizing that there are a lot more risks than benefits. Dr Phillip F. Incao explains: “Today, far more children suffer from allergies and other chronic immune system disorders than from life-threatening infectious disease. It is neither reasonable nor prudent to persist in presuming that the benefits of any vaccination outweigh its risk” (qtd in Spaker). While infectious diseases are becoming uncommon there is no need for any person to get vaccinated.