Symptoms of tick-borne borreliosis and methods of treating the disease

Tick ​​bites are accompanied not only by unpleasant sensations, itching, and irritation, but also lead to serious illnesses. One of these diseases is tick-borne borreliosis. The article will help you find complete information about the disease, its symptoms, as well as treatment methods.

Tick-borne borreliosis and the causes of its occurrence

Tick-borne borreliosis is classified as an infectious disease transmitted by ixodid ticks. The disease also has another name – Lyme disease.

When an area of ​​human skin is infected by a tick, damage occurs to internal organs, as well as the nervous system. It is important to contact specialists when the disease is detected, since a missed opportunity for treatment in the early stages can contribute to the development of the disease into a severe form.

Scientists have proven that the main causes of infectious diseases are certain microorganisms that have the shape of a spiral.

The length of such small organisms ranges from 11 microns. The main causes are three classes of Borrelia:

• borrelia burgdorferi;
• Borrelia garinii;
• borrelia afzelii;

You can become infected with tick-borne borreliosis from various animals, since they can be the owners of one of three types of Borrelia. Ticks are the main carriers of infectious microorganisms.

Feeding on the blood of an animal, they are automatically infected with harmful components. If a person is bitten by a tick, these bacteria will transfer to the body, and infection of the internal system of the body will begin.

The habitat of iscod ticks is usually determined by regions with a temperate climate:

• Russia;
• USA;
• Far East;

Lyme disease carriers are especially active in the spring and summer. Tick ​​activity usually begins in late spring. During this period, a person is especially susceptible to attack by ixodid ticks.

Treatment

Treatment for tick-borne borreliosis involves the presence of a complex of antibiotic medications that help get rid of borrelia. At the first stage, treatment can be carried out while at home, but at the second stage, hospitalization is necessary.

Medicines can be given orally or parenterally. It depends on the state of the infected person’s body. During hospitalization, treatment is carried out in a special infectious diseases hospital, where the treatment process is carefully monitored.

The course of treatment is aimed at ridding the body of harmful microorganisms - Borrelia, which are the causative agents of Lyme disease.

After a tick bite, you should immediately consult a doctor for help, otherwise there is a risk of further infecting the body and then getting negative results. Without the necessary treatment, tick-borne borreliosis will progress, creating new symptoms and complications. It is worth remembering that treatment should be carried out later than the fifth day after the tick bite.

Tools Overview

To cure an infectious disease, you should use a complex of medications that can rid the body of Borrelia. When prescribing a specific remedy, doctors are guided by the symptoms and also take into account the stage of the disease.

Well-known medical treatments are:

1. Doxycycline. Representative of a series of tetracycline antibiotics. A special feature of the drug is to prevent the proliferation of microbes in the body. It can also provoke destruction of the structure of cells with microbes. Does not depend on the eating schedule, as it is well absorbed through the walls of the stomach. Can be sold in tablets and capsules. The average price of the drug is 19 and 27 rubles, respectively.
2. Amoxicillin. Available in capsules and tablets. The antibiotic belongs to the class of semisynthetic penicillins, which have a wide spectrum of action. Since it is acid-resistant, it is advisable to use the drug orally. Cost – 62 rubles.
3. Ceftriaxone. A third generation antibiotic, widely used to treat the body against bacteria. Penetrating into the body, it is able to destroy the walls of microbacteria. The drug is administered intramuscularly. The price of the antibiotic is 61 rubles.
4. Tetracycline. The antibiotic is bacteriostatic. It is contraindicated during pregnancy and breastfeeding. The drug resists bacteria well. Used for infectious diseases. The average cost is 91 rubles.
5. Erythromycin. This antibiotic can be used in any way. The most common form of release is tablets coated with a special coating for dissolution in the stomach. Once in the blood, erythromycin prevents the restoration of the infected cell and also reduces the possibility of the development of bacteria. The cost of tablets is 92 rubles.
6. Plaquinil. Anti-inflammatory drug in the form of round tablets. It is a stabilizer when accumulated in leukocytes. Well suited for the treatment of lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis. The cost of the product is 1104 rubles.

All of the above drugs belong to the group of antibiotics, which, when penetrating the body, have an anti-inflammatory effect. Their chemical components help prevent the spread of viruses.

How does the disease develop?

The disease begins to develop immediately after the pest bites. The harmful component enters the human body along with saliva and then begins to actively multiply bacteria. After a few days, new bacteria are distributed throughout the body due to blood circulation.

Infection occurs gradually:

• nervous system;
• joints;
• muscles;
• hearts;

During the proliferation of bacteria, the human immune system is able to fight them by producing antibodies, but their quantity is not enough to completely cure the body of germs.

Symptoms

The period of development of bacteria can last up to 30 days, but the disease can also be detected at an early stage - after 11 days. In total, there are 3 stages of disease development. The first 2 are considered an early period, but the third is a late period (severe form of tick-borne borreliosis).

The period is characterized by special symptoms:

First stage

The main symptoms of infection are:

• headache,
• feeling of nausea,
• chills,
• elevated temperature,
• joint pain,
• excessive sleepiness,
• feeling tired;

After a bite, a fairly large red spot (up to 60 cm) appears on the body, then swelling may form. The irritated area of ​​skin is accompanied by itching. The duration of the first stage is a week.

Second stage

1. At this stage, damage to the nervous system and internal organs occurs.
2. A person may also experience meningitis, accompanied by headaches and increased sensitivity.
3. In the second stage, infected people experience insomnia and nervous tension.
4. Over time, damage to the facial nerve occurs: paralysis of the facial muscles.

Third stage

The last period may begin several months later or even several years later. It all depends on the patient’s body and immunity:

1. Patients experience significant damage to skin areas and arthritis, affecting even small joints.
2. The danger is the process of deformation of cartilage tissue.
3. Red and blue spots appear on the skin. The elbow areas, knees, and feet are especially susceptible.

At the third stage, damage can occur chaotically and affect different areas. The disease can manifest itself in the motor, coordinate, and mental spheres. People with an advanced form of tick-borne borreliosis gradually lose their sight and hearing.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis begins with identifying the symptoms of an infectious disease. Those with the disease usually have a general picture of the above symptoms, so when the disease occurs, symptoms appear almost immediately. To confirm the diagnosis, you should immediately visit a medical center.

After visiting the doctor, a general history is drawn up, which will indicate the results of the tests performed.

For diagnosis, a number of mandatory tests should be performed:

1. Analysis of anamnesis (epidemiological). It consists of finding out the fact of a tick bite in the summer, when there is increased activity.
2. Analysis of patient complaints: skin irritation, itching, fatigue, headache.
3. Examination of the patient. When diagnosing, attention is paid to the affected area of ​​the skin, examination of redness, and other symptoms characteristic of the disease are taken into account.
4. Using polymerase chain reaction (a type of diagnosis), microorganisms are identified.

Also, medical staff use serological diagnostic methods. They consist in identifying antibodies that distinguish seropositive and seronegative stages. They differ from each other in that at the seropositive stage a person already exhibits antibodies (proteins to eliminate the disease).

To conduct a full diagnosis, you need to visit a dermatology office, an infectious disease specialist, and a neurologist. Not all ticks are carriers of the disease, but still every bite has a negative impact on health, so consulting a doctor is necessary.

Chronic borreliosis

• If the disease is not treated properly, then there is a high probability that tick-borne borreliosis will become chronic, accompanied by a short remission.
• Among the symptoms of chronic borreliosis are:

• ​frequent colds;
• ​presence of a rash on the body;
• ​intense headache;
• ​pain in the chest area;
• ​arthritis;
• ​deterioration of memory and vision;

The complicated stage of borreliosis provokes a significant weakening of the immune system and weakness of the entire body. The internal system does not have the ability to resist various viral diseases, thereby exposing the body to stress and colds.

In people with hereditary diseases, Lyme disease can cause diseases such as lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis, arthritis. During the period of illness, a person feels constant increased fatigue. Patients with a complicated chronic form of the disease should be under constant supervision of specialists, since it is practically impossible to cure borreliosis.

The treatment period is accompanied by the use of diagnostic treatment methods, as well as methods to restore or maintain immunity. By supporting the immune system, the body will be able to more easily tolerate the characteristic symptoms of the disease.

Complications and consequences of borreliosis

1. If Lyme disease is not treated, the bacteria begin to actively spread and affect all internal organs.
2. The result of such actions can have unpredictable consequences:

1. Neurological complications. Viruses begin to infect the nervous system.

   After some time, a person may experience worsening vision, damage to the facial nerve, and paralysis of the body muscles.

2. Joint complications. Skin changes, joint pain, and arthritis are observed. The most dangerous consequence is complete deformation of the joints.
3. Cardiac complications.

   Disturbed heart function is observed: rhythm, nerve contractions.

To avoid negative consequences, you should immediately consult a doctor, conduct tests and begin treatment with antibiotics.

Prevention

Special means for prevention are not yet available today, so several steps should be taken to help protect against Borrelia infection.

Among the preventive actions are:

1. Protection against tick bites.
2. Correct removal of ticks - it is important to carry out the procedure quickly, because infection occurs after a tick remains on the body for a long time.

It is strictly forbidden to start treatment on your own, as well as to use antibiotics without a doctor’s prescription. For prophylaxis, doxycycline is used once.

Source: https://obnaruzhil.ru/kleshh/kleshhevoj-borrelioz-lechenie.html

Tick-borne borreliosis: signs and treatment of infectious pathology

Tick-borne borreliosis, or Lyme disease, is an infectious, in the vast majority of cases, vector-borne disease. The symptoms of the pathology depend on the severity and nature of the immune system’s response to the penetration of pathogenic bacteria. The main symptoms of tick-borne borreliosis include hyperthermia, headaches and various allergic reactions. In the absence of medical care, the disease rapidly progresses, disrupting the functioning of the cardiovascular and nervous systems, as well as the musculoskeletal system. With timely treatment at a hospital, Lyme disease can be completely cured. Therapy carried out at the last stage often does not help prevent the development of irreversible complications.

Vectors of infection

The clinical picture of tick-borne borreliosis appears in humans 1-2 weeks after a tick bite infected with gram-negative spirochete bacteria. The severity of symptoms depends on many factors, one of which is the type of infection carrier.

The pathology is spread by ticks of the genus Ixodes, and their degree of infection can vary at different times of the year. Lyme borreliosis is one of the most common diseases transmitted to humans through the bites of infected arthropods.

What ticks that carry borreliosis are found in our country:

• Borrelia afzelii;
• Borrelia garinii.

In South and North America, another species that often carries borreliosis is Borrelia burgdorferi.

Ticks, distributors of pathogenic bacteria, become infected from domestic or wild birds, rodents, and animals. Goats, cats, and rats do not always get sick after infection.

Warning: Neglecting medical care after being bitten by a spirochete-infected tick will most likely cause disability. Doctors often have to declare the death of a person in the final stages of Lyme disease.

How can you get Lyme disease?

Ticks become more active with the onset of warm weather. Their numbers increase in spring and summer, when people begin to visit forests and the banks of water bodies in large numbers - habitats of infection carriers.

Recently, cases of infection have become more frequent even in early March and late October.

Scientists attribute this not only to global warming, but also to the ability of arthropods to adapt to unfavorable conditions.

The main route of transmission of borreliosis is the bite of a tick infected with spirochetes. But there are other methods of transmission:

• pathology develops after consuming raw milk of infected animals;
• pathogenic bacteria are transmitted to a child in the womb of a mother infected with tick-borne borreliosis.

Despite the fact that Lyme disease is an infectious disease, immunity to it is practically not developed or does not have any resistance. A person who has recently recovered from borreliosis may become ill a few days after being bitten again.

What happens after a bite

Infectious pathogens enter the human body through the tick saliva released during a bite. Once in the systemic bloodstream, pathogenic bacteria spread throughout all internal organs, lymph nodes, bone and joint tissues. The pathological process involves:

• nerve pathways;
• membranes of the brain.

After the death of pathogenic microorganisms, endotoxins are released. The immune system responds to foreign proteins by producing antibodies from different classes of immunoglobulins. After some time, the flagellar antigen of bacteria appears in the body. This causes a significant increase in the antibodies produced.

Immune complexes become larger and begin to circulate in damaged tissues, triggering inflammatory processes. Lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates are formed, affecting the peripheral ganglia, spleen, skin, subcutaneous tissue and lymph nodes. At this stage, all the signs of borreliosis appear after a tick bite.

Severe consequences of infectious pathology

As tick-borne borreliosis progresses, the internal organs and musculoskeletal system of a person, especially the joints, are gradually affected. The danger of the disease lies in the disappearance of symptoms at a certain stage.

Until recently, a person suffered from unbearable headaches and itchy skin, but suddenly all the negative signs disappear without a trace. A visit to the doctor is canceled, and at this time pathogenic bacteria actively multiply in the body.

Not surprisingly, the severity of new symptoms is significantly higher.

If a person is not provided with timely medical care, then there is a high probability that the disease will develop into a sluggish chronic form. At this stage, tick-borne borreliosis has already provoked numerous complications. The pathology is characterized by the development of the following consequences of lack of treatment:

• heart rhythm disturbance;
• decreased muscle tone in the upper and lower extremities;
• tremor, epileptic seizures;
• decreased visual acuity and (or) hearing;
• damage to bones and joints with their further destruction;
• loss of skin sensitivity;
• acute or chronic heart failure;
• paralysis of the facial nerves of various locations.

The consequences of borreliosis after a tick bite are reversible in the initial stages of the disease. Parenteral administration of pharmacological drugs with antibacterial activity stops inflammatory processes. Treatment of chronic Lyme disease or its last stage poses difficulties.

Warning: Gradually spreading in the body, endotoxins contribute to the formation of infectious foci in all internal organs and joint tissues. Even the destruction of pathogenic bacteria does not guarantee complete and rapid recovery of the body.

Clinical picture

Symptoms of tick-borne borreliosis vary significantly at different stages of the disease. The severity of the symptoms also depends on the person’s age, state of health and the presence of chronic pathologies in the anamnesis.

For example, Lyme disease is much more severe in children than in adults due to immature immunity and high permeability of blood vessels.

Since the disease is constantly progressing, symptoms appear as certain tissues or organs are affected:

• at the first stage, pathogenic bacteria actively multiply, causing minor discomfort;
• at the second stage, pathogenic microbes spread throughout the body, provoking the development of a clinical picture of general intoxication;
• at the third stage, the functioning of the central and peripheral nervous system, as well as the musculoskeletal system, is disrupted, so very characteristic symptoms of borreliosis arise after a tick bite in a person.

The first signs of infection often resemble the clinical picture of any respiratory disease, which can significantly complicate diagnosis.

Recommendation: A person feels virtually no pain when bitten by a tick. This causes late detection of infection. A definite clue may be severe redness of the skin at the site of the bite, which occurs over the course of several days.

First stage

In the first stage of Lyme disease, symptoms are quite vague or may not appear at all. At the site of the bite, the skin turns red and a ring-shaped erythema forms, gradually increasing in size.

Over time, its color loses intensity. At the site of the bite, the skin begins to thin, and extensive swelling occurs.

In an effort to remove foreign proteins, the immune system responds with the following symptoms:

• temperature rise above subfebrile values ​​(38.6°C);
• weakness, fatigue, drowsiness;
• decreased physical activity in children;
• pain in joints, muscles, head;
• dyspeptic disorders due to hyperthermia - nausea, diarrhea, vomiting.

If antibiotic therapy is carried out at the first stage, the symptoms disappear without additional use of any medications.

This is interesting: The disease is characterized by the appearance of secondary erythema during the spread of infectious agents in the body. Round spots are found in areas with thin skin - near the nipples and earlobes.

Second stage

At this stage, pathogenic bacteria have already spread throughout the body, forming inflammatory foci in soft and joint tissues. The infection affects the nervous and cardiovascular systems, and the gastrointestinal tract. The roots of the spinal nerves are also damaged, having a negative impact on the condition of the spinal column. A person experiences the following symptoms:

• hyperthermia;
• dyspeptic disorders, digestive disorders and peristalsis;
• emotional instability, increased nervous excitability;
• decreased visual acuity, fear of light;
• heart rhythm disturbance;
• disruption of innervation, especially of the facial muscles;
• myocardial inflammation;
• memory loss, inability to concentrate.

The infection also affects liver cells, causing their death and disrupting metabolic processes. And damage to joint tissues causes arthritis, arthrosis, and polyarthralgia. Treatment of borreliosis after a tick bite at this stage is impossible without taking medications to relieve symptoms and eliminate the consequences of the pathology.

Third stage

At this point, the long-term negative impact of infectious agents disrupted the functioning of all human life systems. Irreversible damage to internal organs and all parts of the spinal column developed, and the functioning of the autonomic and central nervous systems was disrupted. Factors that provoke this condition include:

• slow spread of tick-borne borreliosis pathogens;
• predisposition to a pronounced response of the immune system to the penetration of foreign proteins;
• intracellular development of pathogenic microorganisms.

If a person is bitten by a tick suffering from borreliosis, then an incorrectly drawn up therapeutic regimen or a complete lack of treatment contributes to the chronicity of the disease. This type of pathology is characterized by frequent alternating relapses and remissions, gradually leading to the following conditions:

• atrophy of the skin;
• formation of compactions in the lymph nodes;
• thinning and increased fragility of bones.

At this stage of Lyme disease, properly administered pathogenetic therapy is of great importance. But in the vast majority of cases, the consequences are irreversible.

Diagnostics

At the first stage of the examination, the doctor examines the patient and examines the medical history. The initial diagnosis will be speeded up by confirmation of the tick attack by the patient. A sign of the development of Lyme disease will be the presence of characteristic erythemas on the skin. The absence of any clinical picture at the initial stage of infection may complicate diagnosis.

The doctor must prescribe laboratory tests of blood and urine. If the patient has managed to remove the carrier of the infection, then the tick is analyzed for borreliosis.

Also, when diagnosing Lyme disease, the following instrumental studies are indicated:

• radiography to detect changes in cartilage and soft tissue;
• magnetic resonance imaging to detect damage to the heart, blood vessels, brain and gastrointestinal tract.

Using serological methods for studying biological samples, it is possible to indirectly confirm the development of tick-borne borreliosis. To do this, polymerase chain reaction is analyzed to detect pathogenic bacteria belonging to spirochetes.

Treatment

If the tick test for borreliosis is positive, the doctor draws up a therapeutic regimen, including taking pharmacological drugs and performing physical procedures. An integrated approach is used to treat Lyme disease, combining the diverse effects of medications on the patient’s body:

• reduction in the severity of symptoms;
• destruction of pathogenic bacteria;
• eliminating negative consequences.

Single and daily dosages of drugs, as well as the duration of their use, are determined by the attending physician. It takes into account the stage of the disease, health status and age of the patient.

Antibiotic therapy

The use of antibacterial agents at the initial stage of pathology promotes rapid and complete recovery. If the disease is accompanied by skin rashes, then it is advisable to use antibiotics from the group of penicillins or tetracyclines:

• Tetracycline;
• Benzyl penicillin;
• Amoxicillin;
• Ampicillin;
• Doxycycline.

Since tick-borne borreliosis pathogens are capable of developing resistance to such antibiotics, combination drugs have recently been used:

• Augmentin;
• Panclave;
• Amoxiclav.

They contain clavulanic acid, which prevents the development of microbial resistance. If you are allergic to penicillins or tetracyclines, borreliosis is treated with antibiotics after a tick bite, which belong to the latest generation of cephalosporins:

• Cefixime;
• Ceftriaxone;
• Cephalexin.

The disadvantage of these antibacterial drugs is a significant number of side effects. Long-term use of these drugs can provoke the development of sensitization reactions, nausea, vomiting, and impaired peristalsis.

Symptomatic therapy

Since tick-borne borreliosis almost always occurs against the background of general intoxication of the body, doctors prescribe the following drugs to eliminate symptoms:

• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - Ibuprofen, Nimesulide, Diclofenac, Meloxicam. NSAIDs reduce fever, quickly relieve pain and inflammation;
• Analgesics and antispasmodics - Spazgan, Drotaverine, Papaverine, Spazgan, Ketorol, Baralgin. The drugs can effectively reduce the severity of pain in the head, joints, and gastrointestinal tract;
• Glucocorticosteroids - Dexamethasone, Prednisolone. Medicines are prescribed to patients for the development of severe inflammatory processes, as well as for the treatment of autoimmune pathologies.

Before treating borreliosis after a tick bite, the general health of the patient is assessed. If it is severe, then detoxification therapy is carried out to remove toxic compounds from the body using intravenous infusions of Ringer's solution, sodium chloride, Trisol.

Recommendation: To improve the patient’s well-being and speed up recovery, a course of balanced vitamin complexes with microelements is practiced - Supradin, Complivita, Vitrum, Centrum, Macrovit.

Preventive measures

Prevention of borreliosis after a tick bite consists, first of all, in correctly selected clothing for walks in the forest, square, or park.

It should be light in color and fit snugly to the body, protecting the neck, chest, wrists and ankles. Ticks often fall on people from tree branches, so a headdress, preferably a headscarf, is a must.

The following measures also include preventive measures:

• the use of creams, lotions, sprays that repel blood-sucking arthropods;
• walks only in places where there are no weeds and dense thickets of bushes;
• periodically inspect yourself and your companions for the presence of attached or crawling ticks.

You should not bring flowers, branches or medicinal plants home, as they may contain arthropods. It is advisable to choose places for relaxation or walks in the fresh air where the grass is constantly mowed and treated with special anti-tick agents.

Advice: An excellent way to prevent the development of severe stages of Lyme disease is to visit a hospital in a timely manner. Preserving the detected tick will help speed up diagnosis and start of treatment.

Source: https://beetlestop.ru/kleshhevoy-borrelioz-2020/

How to recognize and treat tick-borne borreliosis: causes, symptoms and stages of the disease, treatment methods

Causes of tick-borne borreliosis

The causative agent of tick-borne borreliosis is transmitted by Ixodes ticks . They are capable of migration by attaching themselves to the bodies of migratory birds or dogs. The bacteria are shaped like a twisted spiral and are very small. In addition to dogs and birds, the following animals are their reservoirs in the natural environment:

• rodents;
• horses;
• cows;
• goats;
• deer and others.

Tick ​​vectors become infected with borreliosis when sucking the blood of sick animals and are capable of transmitting borrelia to their offspring. Such ticks are mainly found in temperate climate zones, in mixed forests. The endemic areas of tick-borne borreliosis in the world are:

1. North-west and center of Russia.
2. Ural.
3. Western Siberia.
4. Far East.
5. Partially Europe.
6. USA.

In these regions, tick infestation is up to 60 percent. The peak of this disease is the end of spring and the beginning of summer, when there is increased activity of ticks, and a person has a high susceptibility to Borrelia , and accordingly, there is a high risk of contracting tick-borne borreliosis.

Course of the disease

A person becomes infected with tick-borne borreliosis through a tick bite. Together with saliva, the pathogen passes into the skin and begins to multiply. Then it enters the lymph nodes and reproduction continues again.

After a few days, borrelia pass into the bloodstream throughout the body through the bloodstream. They go to the following organs:

• Heart.
• CNS.
• Muscles.
• Joints.

They can stay there for a very long time and multiply again. The immune system produces antibodies against Borrelia, but even this does not help to completely get rid of the causative agent of tick-borne borreliosis.

And the immune complexes that appear as a result trigger an autoimmune process . This becomes the cause of the chronic course of the disease, and the pathogen dies, which is accompanied by the release of toxic substances, which makes the person’s condition worse. However, it is not contagious to others.

Symptoms of tick-borne borreliosis

Often, even doctors confuse this disease with the following diseases: myocarditis; meningitis; arthritis; neuritis. The key symptoms of the disease are as follows:

• temperature;
• headache;
• vomit;
• nausea;
• spots on the skin;
• muscle aches;
• weakness.

Stages of tick-borne borreliosis

This disease includes several stages:

1. The incubation period (from the moment of infection to the first symptoms) is from 3 to 32 days.
2. The first stage is the period of reproduction of borrelia in the areas of penetration and lymph nodes.
3. The second stage is the time the pathogen spreads throughout the body along with the blood.
4. The third stage is the chronic stage. At this time, a specific system of the body (nervous or musculoskeletal) is mainly affected.

The first two stages are the early period of infection, and the third is the late stage, respectively. The division between them is conditional.

Description of the first stage of tick-borne borreliosis

During this period, local and general manifestations of tick-borne borreliosis are observed. Common symptoms are:

• Headache.
• Muscle pain.
• Aches.
• Joint pain.
• Elevated temperature up to 38 degrees.
• Chills.
• Vomiting and nausea.
• General malaise.

Pain and sore throat , slight cough and runny nose are rarely observed Local symptoms look like this:

• the appearance of swelling at the site of the bite;
• painful sensations;
• redness;
• itching

Erythema

A specific symptom of tick-borne borreliosis is ring-shaped erythema, which is observed in 70 percent of cases. Also, a papule forms at the site of the bite - a dense formation that expands over time and has a ring shape .

In the middle of it is the bite site, which is very pale, and the rim is redder and rises above the unaffected area of ​​​​the skin.

The area of ​​redness is oval or round, has a diameter of about 10–60 cm, often there are small rings inside the ring, especially if the erythema is large. In most cases, it does not hurt, but it may burn or itch . Quite often, erythema is the first manifestation of tick-borne borreliosis and has no reactions. Further, new erythema may appear, even where there were no bites.

Erythema lasts about a month, sometimes it can be several days, and sometimes several months. Then it disappears and leaves behind pigmentation and peeling . It is also common for a rash such as hives or conjunctivitis to appear on the skin.

Other local symptoms of the first stage include:

1. Enlargement and pain in the area of ​​the lymph nodes.
2. Increase in temperature.
3. Stiffness of the neck muscles.
4. Joint and muscle pain.

Often in the first stage of the disease, symptoms disappear even without treatment.

Second stage of the disease

The stage can last from several days to a month, during which time all manifestations of the first stage disappear. In some cases, tick-borne borreliosis begins immediately from the second stage, with no general infectious syndrome or ring erythema.

Damage to the nervous system manifests itself through serous meningitis, affecting the cranial nerves and spinal nerve roots.

Serous meningitis refers to inflammation of the meninges . It manifests itself in the form of a moderate headache, fear of light, increased sensitivity to stimuli, neck tension and severe fatigue.

This type of meningitis may be asymptomatic, but may include:

• emotional disorders;
• insomnia;
• problems with attention and memory;
• an increase in the amount of protein and lymphocytes in the cerebrospinal fluid.

Other symptoms of the second stage

Sometimes one side is affected, sometimes both are affected. But it is worth saying that with tick-borne borreliosis, the facial nerve is affected, but this gives reason for recovery. Hearing and vision may often , strabismus develops, and eye movement is impaired.

The roots of the spinal nerves are affected, which results in shooting pains. In the torso the pain can be girdling in nature, and in the extremities it goes from top to bottom. After a few days or weeks, the muscles are affected , which manifests itself in the form of paresis, general sensitivity increases or decreases, and tendon reflexes disappear.

Often the affected nervous system with tick-borne borreliosis is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• Speech impairment.
• Instability.
• Involuntary movements.
• Trembling of limbs.
• Swallowing problems.
• Epileptic seizures.

All this can occur in 10 percent of cases of the disease. The joints are affected in the form of recurrent monoarthritis or oligoarthritis . This applies to the hip joints, ankle and knee joints, and elbow joints. Pain appears and mobility is limited.

The heart can be affected in different forms:

1. The conductivity of the heart is impaired.
2. Myocarditis and pericarditis appear.
3. The heartbeat is disturbed.
4. Shortness of breath appears.
5. The appearance of chest pain.
6. Heart failure.

Skin disorders at this stage can also be different: rash like urticaria and lymphocytoma; secondary ring erythema .

Lymphocytoma is a specific symptom of tick-borne borreliosis and appears as a red nodule ranging in size from several millimeters to centimeters, which protrudes above the skin level. It often appears in the groin area, on the nipple or earlobe.

During the second stage of tick-borne borreliosis, other organs and systems are affected, but not so often:

• bronchi;
• kidneys;
• liver;
• testicles;
• eyes.

Characteristics of the third stage of the disease

The third stage of tick-borne borreliosis can begin several months or even years after the onset of the disease. It can manifest itself as chronic arthritis; atrophic skin lesions; lesions of the nervous system .

Quite often, the disease can affect one system or another, affecting either the joints, the nervous system, or the skin. Combined damage also occurs.

Chronic arthritis can affect both large and small joints. Often the disease is accompanied by relapses, gradually the joints begin to deform , the cartilage tissue becomes thinner and the development of osteoporosis is observed. This is often accompanied by chronic myositis.

At the third stage of tick-borne borreliosis, the nervous system is affected in different ways:

• In the form of paresis.
• Increased sensitivity.
• Balance disorders.
• Problems with memory and thinking.

Epileptic seizures often occur , hearing and vision are impaired, and problems with the pelvic organs appear. Weakness, lethargy, and depression are observed. If tick-borne borreliosis is not treated in any way, then over time it goes into a chronic stage, which is accompanied by recurrence.

Tests for tick-borne borreliosis

A diagnosis such as tick-borne borreliosis is made on the basis of clinical data in the form of a tick bite and the presence of ring-shaped erythema, as well as laboratory methods. Often a tick bite goes unnoticed and there is no erythema; manifestations of the disease occur only at the second stage, so the disease can only be detected using a laboratory method .

Borrelia are very difficult to identify; they are visible in affected fluids or tissues. A biopsy is often performed, but the effectiveness is not very high, so indirect methods for diagnosing this disease are often used: the polymerase chain reaction method; serological diagnosis.

Often, diagnostics use a search for DNA fragments , and it is more accurate than the use of serological reactions, which give false readings in the presence of syphilis, infectious mononucleosis or rheumatic diseases.

There are seronegative variants of tick-borne borreliosis, but in the early stages, in half of the cases, serological testing does not confirm the presence of the disease. Research therefore needs to be carried out over time.

How to treat borreliosis

, the patient is prescribed oral antibiotics as an etiotropic treatment . Among them:

1. Tetracycline.
2. Doxycycline.
3. Amoxicillin.
4. Cefuroxime.

The duration of taking antibiotics is about two weeks. The dosage should never be reduced or the duration of their use should be shortened, since in this case some of the Borrelia will survive and they will begin to multiply again.

In the second stage, parenteral antibiotic treatment is prescribed, penicillin and ceftriaxone are prescribed . In this case, antibiotics are taken for 14 to 21 days, and this ensures cure of the disease in most cases.

At the third stage of the disease, the recommended duration of antibiotic use is at least 28 days. For this purpose penicillin antibiotics , during which time the patient is given 224 injections and a long-acting form of the medication is used.

Preventive therapy is carried out using antibiotics ; it is prescribed to those who seek help from a doctor within 5 days after a tick bite and when the tick was brought with them or was removed by the doctor, as well as if Borrelia was detected under a microscope. In such cases, the doctor prescribes:

• Tetracycline.
• Doxycycline.
• Amoxiclav.
• Retarpen.

In most cases, such prevention helps to get rid of the disease. There is also pathogenetic and symptomatic treatment , which involves the use of drugs of this kind:

• antipyretics;
• anti-inflammatory;
• detoxification;
• general strengthening;
• cardiac;
• vitamins.

The use of a particular drug depends on the stage and form of tick-borne borreliosis.

Consequences of the disease

If tick-borne borreliosis was identified at the first stage and was fully treated, then complete recovery occurs. At the second stage, the disease is cured in most cases without consequences.

If the diagnosis was made late, the course of treatment was incomplete, or there were defects in the immune response, the disease may progress to the third or chronic stage. With such forms, and even with repeated courses of therapy and treatment, the patient does not recover completely.

His condition may improve, but there will be functional impairments that can cause disability:

1. Muscle strength in the arms or legs is reduced.
2. Sensitivity is impaired.
3. The face is deformed due to damage to the facial nerve.
4. Vision and hearing are impaired.
5. Unsteadiness appears when walking.
6. Epilepsy seizures.
7. The joints are deformed and their functions are impaired.
8. Arrhythmia.
9. Heart failure.

Not always, in the third stage of the disease or its chronic form, all these symptoms are observed. And improvement in the condition can be observed even in advanced cases, and even slow recovery occurs.

Preventive measures for tick-borne borreliosis

There is no special vaccine for tick-borne borreliosis and no special prevention. As preventive measures for this disease, you need to follow basic precautions in places where insects and ticks accumulate:

• Wear long sleeves and long pants.
• Shoes should be high.
• Wear a hat.
• Apply protective equipment to clothing.
• The attached tick must be unscrewed, do not crush it or pull it out vertically.
• Treat your hands and wounds.

Tick-borne borreliosis is a dangerous infectious disease that often develops unnoticed, especially if the person did not notice the bite. First, annular erythema appears, and various organs are affected, and the disease is confirmed by laboratory techniques.

This disease can be cured if antibiotics are used at an early stage. Otherwise, the disease becomes chronic and can cause irreversible damage.

Source: https://zoolog.guru/bolezni-zhivotnyh-i-ih-lechenie/klyuchevye-harakteristiki-kleschevogo-borrelioza-metody-lecheniya.html