Borrelia burgdorferi | IgM antibodies (tick-borne borreliosis)

Reference values

Symptoms

A tick bite may appear as a small nodule accompanied by itching and redness that we may not even notice.

Early symptoms of Lyme disease begin 3-30 days after a tick bite. At this stage, symptoms are very rare.

 Istage

• A rash is a typical symptom, although it may not develop. The rash is usually represented by a single tick bite, with a surrounding erythematous ring that gradually increases on the periphery, and the central part remains pale in color. It is compared to the "bull's eye" shape. The rash is painless, there is a local increase in temperature.
• Fever
• headache
• General weakness and fatigue
• Joint stiffness
• muscle pain
• Enlargement of lymph nodes

 IIstage

Without treatment, Lyme disease progresses. The symptoms characteristic of the second stage develop in 3-10 weeks after the tick bite. The second stage is called the stage of early dissemination and is much more complicated than the first.

• Rashes in multiple areas of the body
• Neck pain or stiffness
• Facial muscle weakness (bilaterally)
• Disturbance of heart rhythm
• Pain that starts in the spine and spreads in the direction of the lower limbs
• Weakness and numbness of limbs
• Painful swelling of the eyelids and surrounding tissues

 IIIstage

It is a late dissemination stage. It can develop within a few months after a tick bite. The most characteristic symptoms are:

• Arthritis - with damage to large-caliber joints, mainly knees. Pain, swelling, tightness is sometimes constant, or worsens periodically.
• Acrodermatitis – the skin on the back of the ankles and feet is pale and swollen. It may also develop in the area of ​​elbows and knees.

 Complications

Despite the treatment, in some cases complications develop, such as:

• Arthritis that persists after treatment
• Pain and discomfort in the body
• Weakness and fatigue
• memory problems

These complaints are associated with the post-treatment syndrome of Lyme disease, the causes of which are:

• Incomplete course of treatment
• Reinfection with borreliosis
• Immune system reaction
• Autoimmune reaction developed against the background of bacterial process
• Other concomitant diseases

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