Lyme disease: If ticks couldn't

get any worse

By Michael Radigan
Ticks as Vectors
● Over 900 species of ticks
● Hard (700) vs Soft (200)
● Deer, Lone Star, and Dog ticks
● Life cycle
● Feeding (Questing)
● infection
Black-legged Deer Tick
● Became publicly known in 1970s
● Primary transmitter of Lyme Disease
● By far one of the smallest ticks
● Hard shelled tick
● Require different host every stage
● Northeast (tall grass and overhang)
Lyme disease as an illness
● Borrelia burgdorferi (1981)
● Bacteria infects blood and tissues
● Wide variety of symptoms
● Symptoms worsen as infection
progresses
- Meningitis (other neurological
damage)
- Severe infection requires
intravenous antibiotics
● Importance of proper treatment
(toxin-mediated infection via
mycotoxin nurotoxin)
● Sufficient vs insufficient treatment
Diagnosis of Lyme Disease
● Symptoms*
● Western Blot
● Most common
● Tests positive for any infection (even prior)
● Results open to interpretation (not yes or no)
● Compares protein strands
● Two-tier
● 1st (screening looking for red flags)
● 2nd (confirms infection)
● More sensitive and specific
● Not always easily accesible
Treatment of lyme disease
● Antibiotics kill bacteria NOT toxin
● Oral antibiotics
- Doxycycline
- Azithromycin
● Intravascular injection antibiotic
- Rocephin
● Complementary antibiotics
- Different antibiotics kill bacteria in different ways
● Complementary antibiotics help complementary infection
- Lyme compromises immune response
- Lyme may not be just lyme
Picc line
● Peripherally inserted central
catheter
● Short term catheter (several
weeks)
● Delvers medication directly to
heart at either vinca cava.
● Bypasses absorption and
filtration
● Safe for daily use
Prevention
● Check when in tick habitat
● Stay on trail
● EPA-registered insect repellent
● Proper clothing
● Keep pets safe
● Daily tick checks (thorough)
Sources
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%5B0%5D=cpc&utm_medium%5B1%5D=cpc&utm_term%5B0%5D=treatmentForLyme&utm_term%5B1%5D=lyme+disease+treatment&utm_content%5B0%5D=treatmentForLymeExpandedThousands&utm_content%5B1%5D=Treatment+for+Lyme&keyword=lyme+disea
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Deer Tick: National Geographic. Animals. (n.d.). Retrieved November 20, 2021, from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/facts/deer-tick.

Lmartin. (n.d.). Lyme disease tests - learn about the Lyme tests available. LymeDisease.org. Retrieved November 20, 2021, from https://www.lymedisease.org/lyme-disease-test/.

Lmartin. (n.d.). Types of ticks. LymeDisease.org. Retrieved November 20, 2021, from https://www.lymedisease.org/types-of-ticks/.

A lyme disease antibiotic guide. Treat Lyme. (n.d.). Retrieved November 20, 2021, from https://www.treatlyme.net/guide/lyme-disease-antibiotic-guide.

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2020, October 24). Lyme disease. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved November 20, 2021, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lyme-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20374651.

PICC line for chemo: What is a picc line? PICC line for chemo | What is a PICC line? - Macmillan Cancer Support. (n.d.). Retrieved November 20, 2021, from
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UK, T. H. P. (2015, October 12). How great a threat is lyme disease to public health? HuffPost UK. Retrieved November 20, 2021, from https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/10/12/lyme-disease-threat_n_8279002.html.