Lyme Disease

Question 1

The cardinal sign of Lyme disease is a rash. The erythema migrans occurs among 70% of the patients in the early stages of the Lyme disease (Barbour, 2015). In particular, the circular rash is attributable to a tick bite that causes the disease. The infected tick carries a bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi. During a camping trip, the 38-year old male patient noticed a bug bite and a rash on his thigh. The redness of the skin was a primary indicator of a possible tick bite that led to a confirmed diagnosis of Lyme disease. Usually, camping sites are forested, and the presence of wildlife population increases the likelihood of them carrying infected ticks. Therefore, with the possibility of contracting Lyme disease, it is important to implement measures to prevent tick bites.

Question 2

IgM and IgG antibodies are an indicator of B. burgdorferi. The body produces the immunoglobulins in response to an infection. Elevated levels of IgM are linked with new infections of the bacterium, while IgG antibodies are long-term. Mostly, IgM antibodies are high in the blood two to three weeks after infection. The IgM antibodies levels remain elevated up to six to seven weeks and then decline. However, the IgM test is not reliable due to false-positive results caused by cross-reactivity with other bacteria. On the other hand, IgG antibodies peak from four to six months and remain high for several years. They are reliable in diagnosing Lyme disease because the antibodies remain elevated for a much longer duration (Fallon & Sotsky, 2017). The specificity of IgG is essential in identifying previous exposure to the bacterium and informs the clinicians of the reason for persistent symptoms. Hence, a positive test for IgG confirms that an individual has a history or currently has an infection associated with Lyme disease.

Question 3

ESR is a blood test that measures how fast the red blood cells settle in a test tube in the anticoagulated blood sample. Typically, the red blood cells settle quite slowly at the bottom of the test-tube. In the test conducted for the patient, the elevated ESR was a sign of inflammation. The inflammation occurs due to the response of the immune system to an infection or injury. In this case, the erythrocytes settled at a faster rate because his body was infected with a bacterium that causes Lyme disease.

Question 4

Lyme disease is treatable if diagnosed early, but on most occasions, complications can lead to fatigue and affect organs such as the heart and the nervous system. Thus, the therapeutic goal is to reduce the worsening of the symptoms associated with the disease. The recommended treatment for the Lyme disease entails administering repeated antibiotic therapy. Some of the medications used in oral therapy are amoxicillin and doxycycline (Fallon & Sotsky, 2017). The antibiotics are effective in eliminating Lyme disease. On the contrary, the bacterium can be persistent if the infections affect the nervous system. Therefore, the medical officer administers intravenous antibiotics to the patient and switches to the oral regimen after improvement. Additionally, those infected with the disease can suffer psychologically, and some display signs of depression and anxiety. As a result, it is vital to complement medical interventions with counseling sessions involving a psychologist. The comprehensive therapy would not only treat the disease directly but also work on the psychological well-being of the patient. Overall, the two treatment options are instrumental in attaining positive health outcomes.

References

Barbour, A. G. (2015). Lyme disease: Why it’s spreading, how it makes you Sick, and what to do about it. Baltimore: JHU Press.

Fallon, B. A., & Sotsky, J. (2017). Conquering Lyme disease: Science bridges the great divide. New York: Columbia University Press.