Essay On Lyme Borreliosis

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).

In the 1970’s several healthy people developed arthritis-like symptoms in and among Lyme, Connecticut after developing a mysterious rash around the same time each year (“A History of Lyme”). The symptoms were grouped together into a disease, and although ticks were suspected, no pathogen was found (“A History of Lyme”). In 1981, Willy Burgdorfer, Ph.D, discovered the bacterial spirochete that causes Lyme Disease, and also discovered that the same bacteria was the causative pathogen in a European rash disease called erythema migrans as well. Borrelia burgdorferi was named after him (“A History of Lyme”). An infection of B. burgdorferi is called Lyme borreliosis or Lyme disease (CDC). Although B. burgdorferi was discovered in the 1980’s, the oldest known infection is over 5,300 years old. The “Iceman,” a frozen mummy found in 1991 was discovered to have B. burgdorferi (Hall).

B. burgdorferi is a spirochete bacteria in the same family as the bacteria that causes syphilis (“What do Lyme Disease”). It is gram negative and it contains a thin layer of peptidoglycan with a substance similar to LPS on its outer membrane (Todar). There are three genospecies, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, Borrelia garinii...

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...nter of Disease Control and the most common vector transmitted disease (CDC). In 2013, it was estimated by the Center of Disease Control that 300,000 people were infected with Lyme Disease every year. B. burgdorferi, or subspecies of it, are found on every continent of the world, in more than 80 countries (Lyme Disease Association). In the United States it is endemic of the Northeast and upper Midwest, with 95% of cases from 13 states (CDC). It is classified as an Emerging Infectious Disease, which means that it is showing an increase in the recent past or is changing (Tortora, Funke, Case, 417) .

Lyme disease is a newly discovered disease caused from an ancient bacteria (Hall). Although much is known, there is still a lot to discover about this bacteria that can reside in such a variety of hosts, and cause so many different and potentially fatal symptoms (CDC).