Lyme disease: symptoms, course and therapy

What is Lyme disease?

Lyme disease generally refers to various infectious diseases that are caused by a specific type of bacteria, the Borrelia. The most common form of Lyme disease is Lyme disease, named for the American place where it was first described. In most cases, Lyme disease is transmitted by ticks. Lyme disease is triggered by the bacterium “Borrelia burgdorferi”, which attacks the organs, nervous system, tissue and joints and can result in permanent damage if left untreated.

transmission of Lyme disease

In Europe, Lyme disease is mainly transmitted by the common wood tick, a species of tick. Bacteria from the gut of the tick, the Borrelia, which can be transmitted to humans when sucking blood, are responsible for Lyme disease. The following applies: the longer a tick sucks blood, the higher the probability that it will transmit dangerous pathogens. To avoid this, you should remove ticks as soon as possible after you discover them. In rare cases, Lyme disease can also be transmitted by horseflies. An infection from person to person is not yet known.

Symptoms and course of Lyme disease

Lyme disease usually progresses in three consecutive phases of the disease:

In the first phase, there are often atypical, flu-like symptoms such as fever, exhaustion, headache and body aches as well as gastrointestinal complaints, which make a clear diagnosis difficult. For up to a month after a tick bite, some infected people develop a bright, red ring around the bite site that slowly widens outward while the center fades. This so-called reddening is considered a typical symptom of Lyme disease. If you notice such reddening of the skin, it is best to consult a doctor immediately.

If the Lyme disease infection remains undetected in the first stage, it can spread further to the nervous system. In the second stage of the disease, paralysis, for example in the face, visual and tactile disorders, palpitations or cardiac arrhythmias can occur. In rare cases, meningitis also develops, which in particularly severe cases can spread to the entire brain, leading to encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). Reliable indications of meningitis are fever and severe headache and neck pain, which makes it no longer possible to pull the chin to the chest.

If the disease is still not treated or is not treated adequately, a chronic stage can develop after several months or years (stage III). This can cause damage to the skin, joints and nervous system. The most common type of arthritis is painful joints, especially in the knees, which can be persistent or flare-up. The skin becomes thinner and may have a bluish discoloration. In addition, chronic brain or spinal cord inflammation can lead to permanent paralysis.

Diagnosis of Lyme disease

If you discover signs of Lyme disease in you or your child, you should have a possible illness clarified by a doctor immediately. He will inquire about the symptoms and ask about a tick bite in the past. In the case of a reddening of the skin, the disease can usually be diagnosed quickly. Otherwise, a blood test or an examination of the cerebrospinal fluid will provide information about a possible infection.

Treat Lyme disease properly

When treating Lyme disease, the earlier the disease is treated, the better. In this way, severe or chronic disease progressions can be prevented. Depending on the phase and course of the disease, the doctor prescribes certain antibiotics that must be taken for at least two weeks. The dosage form can vary between tablets, juice and infusions. Complete healing is possible even in the chronic stage of the disease. Nevertheless, permanent damage, such as joint inflammation, may remain after treatment for Lyme disease.

Protect against Lyme disease

Unfortunately, there is no vaccination against Lyme disease. And even if your child has already contracted Lyme disease, this does not protect against further infections with the disease. So no immunity develops.

The best protection is not to offer the disease carriers, the ticks, a target for attack. In the article “ Protection against ticks ” we have put together how this works and from which other tick diseases you can protect your child .