Lyme disease
Author(s)
Falco, Richard C
Date issued
2000
In
Revue Scientifique Et Technique De L Office International Des Epizooties
Vol
1
No
19
From page
121
To page
135
Subjects
Borrelia burgdorferi clinical manifestations ecology epidemiology ixodes Lyme disease prevention public health ticks zoonoses BURGDORFERI SENSU-LATO IXODES-RICINUS TICKS OUTER-SURFACE-PROTEIN EUROPEAN BORRELIA-BURGDORFERI ERYTHEMA CHRONICUM MIGRANS RIBOSOMAL-RNA GENES SOUTHERN NEW-YORK LATE CUTANEOUS MANIFESTATIONS JAPONICA SP-NOV ENDEMIC AREA
Abstract
Lyme borreliosis, the most common vector-borne disease in the northern hemisphere, is caused by bacteria belonging to the Borrelia burgdorferi complex. The disease is multisystemic, affecting main ly the skin, nervous system, heart and joints. in Europe, the vector of the disease is the tick Ixodes ricinus, whereas in the United States of America, two primary tick vectors exist, namely: I. scapularis in the north-eastern and mid-western regions and I. pacificus on the west coast. Several species of small and medium-sized mammals and ground-feeding birds serve as reservoirs for the bacteria in endemic areas. The prognosis for patients with Lyme borreliosis is excellent, particularly when diagnosed and treated early in the course of infection. Prevention of Lyme borreliosis can be achieved using two approaches, either prevention of infection by immunisation, or prevention of tick bites through avoidance, personal protection and tick control.
Publication type
journal article