What Is Late Lyme Disease
Lyme disease, also known as Lyme borreliosis, is caused by an infection with the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi. This bacteria is disseminated through tick bites. Infected ticks usually bite small mammals, who do not develop any kind of infection from the bacteria. When humans are exposed to B. Burgdorferi from a tick bite, however, they can develop Lyme disease.
People who work outside or spend time in woodland areas, where there is greater potential for exposure to tick bites, are most at risk of infection.
Lyme disease is a condition which progresses in stages:
Serum Inflammatory Mediators As Markers Of Human Lyme Disease Activity
-
* E-mail:
Affiliation Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
-
Affiliation Lyme Disease Research Foundation, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of Ameica
-
Affiliation Division of Immunology and Rheumatology, Stanford University School of Medicine Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, California, United States of America
-
Affiliation Division of Immunology and Rheumatology, Stanford University School of Medicine Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, California, United States of America
Lyme Sci: The Dreaded Jarisch
Lyme disease and tick-borne diseases are complicated illnesses and because of that, treatment can be complex. Patients whove gone through treatment will often say your symptoms get worse before they get better. One of the reasons for this is something called a Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction.
The Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction often shortened just to Herxheimer or herxinghappens after you start antibiotic treatment for spirochetal infections like syphilis, Lyme disease, and tick-borne relapsing-fever.
The reaction was first described in 1895 by Adolf Jarisch, an Austrian dermatologist, and later in 1902 by Karl Herxheimer, a German dermatologist. Both doctors documented a pattern of an increase in symptoms shortly after their syphilis patients started treatment.
Read Also: Tick And Lyme Disease Facts
How Can Lyme Disease Last For Years
Category: Health Published: October 9, 2015
If treated, Lyme disease does not last for years. However, for some people, the after-effects of the disease can linger for months and sometimes even years. Alternative medicine providers call this condition “Chronic Lyme disease,” but this title is simply wrong. For a person who has been infected with Lyme disease and then treated, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease is measurably no longer present in his body, even though he may still feel some symptoms. The correct title for this condition is therefore “Post-treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome.”
Lyme disease is an infection caused by a bacteria known as Borrelia burgdorferi. This bacteria is delivered to humans through tick bites. From the bite site, the bacteria can enter the bloodstream and spread throughout the body. Usually, but not always, an infectious tick bite causes a characteristic red rash at the site of the bite. Other symptoms include fever, muscle soreness, headache, fatigue, and dizziness. In a few cases, symptoms can also include mood swings, memory loss, and sleep disturbance. If left untreated for too long, Lyme disease can lead to nerve damage, thereby causing shooting pain, numbness, and even paralysis.
The CDC states,
What Does The Liver Do In Dogs
The liver is an important organ that is responsible for the regulation of many different substances and chemicals within the blood, as well as bile production.
The liver helps to break down components in the blood to make it easier for the rest of the body to use, as well as filter out any foreign substances.
Just a few of the many specific roles that the liver performs include:
- The production of bile, which is responsible for breaking down fats during digestion
- The production of multiple proteins that circulate within the blood
- Converting excess glucose into starch, and storing it for later use when it is needed
- The storage of blood that can be used in serious injuries or circumstances involving blood loss
- The conversion of ammonia to urea, which is a safer product
- Producing some immune factors and helping to fight off infections
Also Check: How Long Does It Take To Get Lyme Disease
Phase 2 Stay Clean And Populate With Good Guys:
If youve been dealing with chronic illness for a long time, for phase two, I recommend reading and following Best Supplements To Kill Candida and Everything Else You Ever Wanted To Know About Fungal Infections.
If youre not very poor health, I recommend spending the following 5-6 months taking the following every day as directed:
Severe Hyperbilirubinemia: A Rare Complication Of Lyme Disease
Lin Zheng
1Internal Medicine Residency Program, Inspira Medical Center in Vineland, Vineland, NJ 08360, USA
2Division of Hospital Medicine, Department of Medicine, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Camden, NJ 08103, USA
Abstract
Gastrointestinal signs and symptoms are common in the early stages of Lyme disease. However, hyperbilirubinemia from Lyme disease is extremely uncommon. There are only two case reports in literature attributing Lyme disease to hyperbilirubinemia. Here we report a case of severe hyperbilirubinemia as the presenting symptom of Lyme disease. Other plausible etiologies have been ruled out after extensive workups, including liver biopsy. His hyperbilirubinemia gradually resolved after being started on doxycycline. With high incidence of Lyme disease, it should be considered for patients who present with hyperbilirubinemia in endemic areas with possible tick exposure.
1. Introduction
Lyme disease is a multisystemic infection caused by the tick-borne spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi. Gastrointestinal involvement, such as acute hepatitis, could present in the early stages of Lyme disease . However, hyperbilirubinemia secondary to Lyme disease is extremely uncommon. There are only two case reports in literature attributing Lyme disease to hyperbilirubinemia one of which was in a pediatric patient . Here we present a rare case of hyperbilirubinemia secondary to Lyme disease.
2. Case Presentation
3. Discussion
Conflicts of Interest
You May Like: Lyme Disease Ever Go Away
About Herxheimer Reactions In Lyme
A die-off reaction, also called a Herxheimer reaction, can occur when treating the Lyme germ, some co-infections, and yeast. It occurs as bacteria or yeast die during antibiotic treatment. It is common to have Herxheimer die-off reactions when starting herbal antimicrobials or antibiotics when treating Lyme. These reactions can also occur when new antibiotics are introduced into a treatment.
The Effects Of Lyme Disease On The Liver
Lyme Disease
-
Lyme disease is caused by a bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi that ticks carry. Called deer ticks , the arachnids that carry the bacteria are very small and can often escape notice. When the ticks bite mice that have Lyme disease and then bite a human, the disease is transmitted. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , someone who has been bitten by a tick may not notice for a week or two that he has symptoms, which can include a flu-like feeling, a bulls-eye rash at the site of the tick bite and widespread joint pain. The disease is named for its 1975 discovery in children living in and around Lyme, Connecticut.
Abnormal Liver Function
-
In an article published in 2003 in Hepatology Journal , 115 people were studied who presented with the tell-tale rash from a tick bite. More than 40 percent of the patients exhibited at least one liver abnormality, and 27 percent of patients had tests that returned more than one liver abnormality. Of those patients who contracted the secondary stage of Lyme disease , 66 percent had elevated liver function results. When the disease moves from the first stage to the second, the spirochetes that were restricted to the blood pass into the tissues, and the disease becomes chronic.
Hepatitis
Treatments
Also Check: Antibiotics Used For Lyme Disease
Symptoms Of Lyme Disease
People with Lyme disease may react to it differently, and the symptoms can vary in severity.
Although Lyme disease is commonly divided into three stages early localized, early disseminated, and late disseminated symptoms can overlap. Some people will also present in a later stage of disease without having symptoms of earlier disease.
These are some of the more common symptoms of Lyme disease:
- a flat, circular rash that looks like a red oval or bulls-eye anywhere on your body
- other flu-like symptoms
These symptoms may occur soon after the infection, or months or years later.
Your child may have Lyme disease and not have the bulls-eye rash. According to an early study, results showed roughly 89 percent of children had a rash.
Lyme disease is best treated in the early stages. Treatment for early localized disease is a simple 10- to 14-day course of oral antibiotics to eliminate the infection.
Medications used to treat Lyme disease include:
- doxycycline, amoxicillin, or cefuroxime, which are first-line treatments in adults and children
- cefuroxime and amoxicillin, which are used to treat women who are nursing or breastfeeding
Intravenous antibiotics are used for some forms of Lyme disease, including those with cardiac or central nervous system involvement.
After improvement and to finish the course of treatment, healthcare providers will typically switch to an oral regimen. The complete course of treatment usually takes 1428 days.
Elevated Liver Enzymes In Dogs And What It Means
If your dog has just been diagnosed with high liver enzymes, you may be wondering what it could mean for your furry friend.
The liver has several important jobs in canine body function, leading to complications if their liver is ever compromised.
So what could cause a dog to experience elevated liver enzymes?
In this article we will discuss the details of liver enzymes in dogs, and what could cause a change in these levels.
Don’t Miss: Sleep Inn East Lyme Ct
Our Approach To Lyme Disease
Research shows that an array of health variables may confound Lyme disease treatment.39 While the conventional medical model largely ignores the role of these variables, the functional medicine model thoroughly understands the importance of these variables in the context of Lyme disease treatment and recovery.
Our approach to Lyme disease stands apart from others because we focus not only on supporting your recovery from Lyme disease but on helping you create a strong foundation for sustainable, long-term health.
Gut Health
Over 70 percent of the human immune system is located in the gut,40 making gut health an essential element of Lyme disease recovery. Gut support is particularly crucial when antibiotics are being utilized as a component of Lyme treatment. We use a variety of gut-focused testing modalities to assess each patients gut health and identify areas for improvement. Strategies for improving gut health may include individualized nutrition and diet interventions, herbal and natural antimicrobial botanicals, probiotics, and prebiotics, and prescription antibiotics when appropriate.
Hormonal Balance
Detoxification
Nutrition for Lyme Recovery
Stress Management
Antimicrobial Treatments
Interested in learning more about the antimicrobial treatment options available for Lyme disease? Check out our article Antimicrobial Treatments for more information on antimicrobial treatment for Lyme disease and coinfections.
Blacklegged Tick Risk Areas
Although it is possible to be bitten by blacklegged tick anywhere in New Brunswick, the risk is highest in areas where blacklegged tick populations are established or could become established. Blacklegged Tick Risk Areas are based on provincial tick surveillance data and are identified on a county level because it is difficult to exactly define the geographic limits of tick populations. Although blacklegged ticks are more likely to be found within risk areas than in other parts of the province, the distribution of ticks within Blacklegged Tick Risk Areas is not uniform because suitable habitat is not found everywhere.
Lyme Disease Risk areas
What Is The Lymphatic System
Similar to the action of the cardiovascular system, many of the functions of the lymphatic system happen without much awareness on your part. However, if youve ever had a cold , youve probably felt swollen, bean-shaped bumps in your neck those enlarged lymph nodes are a sign your bodys working to fight an infection on your behalf.
The function of the lymphatic system is that of a waste management center for the body. It transports lymph to the lymph nodes where it removes cellular garbage like metabolites, excess fluid, worn-out red blood cells , toxins, infections, and other harmful substances. There, the lymph nodes evaluate the waste using immune cells , then clean and discard it.
Each of us has approximately 600 to 700 lymph nodes the number varies depending on the size of each node, the side of the body the nodes are located on, and whether a person is male or female. Lymph nodes are located in clusters, and the main areas are:
- Neck
- Abdomen
- Groin
Once the lymph fluid leaves the lymph nodes, it is returned into the cardiovascular system by way of the right and left subclavian veins, a pair of veins found deep in the neck. Then, the whole process repeats itself.
If the lymphatic system didnt complete the task of removing your bodys fluid surplus, the fluid would accumulate, and youd notice swelling. Each day, the lymphatic system cleans and drains up the 3 liters of lymph.
Dr Murakami From Canada Explains:
I know all this is hard to understand so I asked Dr M in Canada why we cant drink and this is how he summed it up: Most alcoholic drinks have sugar and wheat and ingredients that spirochetes eat. So they all come out and go into an eating frenzy. When they are active like this they put out toxins. Well these toxins make us feel drunk quickly. Then when the alcohol hits your blood stream, it kills the spirochetes. Thus giving off the toxins from the dying chetes. So we have a herx reaction. The reason it is so bad, our bodies are working double time trying to break down the alochol and detox the dead bacteria. This is extra bad because alcohol crosses the blood brain barrier and our bodies are not equipped to detox the toxins in our brain. So it pretty much explains why we get drunk so fast then have such a bad hangover the next day.
What Is Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is an infectious disease caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi. B. burgdorferi is transmitted to humans by a bite from an infected black-legged or deer tick. The tick becomes infected after feeding on infected deer, birds, or mice.
A tick has to be present on the skin for at least 36 hours to transmit the infection. Many people with Lyme disease have no memory of a tick bite.
Lyme disease was first recognized in the town of Old Lyme, Connecticut, in 1975. Its the most common tickborne illness in Europe and the United States.
People who live or spend time in wooded areas known for transmission of the disease are more likely to get this illness. People with domesticated animals that visit wooded areas also have a higher risk of getting Lyme disease.
Because Of The Meds We Are On
Many Lyme patients are taking flagyl. Flagyl
Flagyl is reported to interact dangerously with another common drug: alcohol.
Drinking even a small amount of alcohol while taking Flagyl can make a person very sick. Flagyl and alcohol together cause severe nausea and vomiting, flushing, fast heartbeat , and shortness of breath. The reaction has been described as being similar to the effects of Antabuse, a drug that treats alcoholism by causing patients to become very sick when they drink.
Obviously, beverages containing alcohol should not be consumed during treatment with Flagyl, but small amounts of alcohol can be found in hidden sources as well. Some kinds of mouthwash and cold medicine contain alcohol. Small amounts may also be served at religious services. Patients should avoid all of these alcohol sources while taking Flagyl and for 48 hours following the end of treatment.
What Causes the Bad Reaction?Because the Flagyl-alcohol reaction is said to resemble the Antabuse-alcohol reaction, researchers originally assumed that they work the same way. Ordinarily, the liver breaks down ethanol in two steps: first into acetaldehyde, then into acetic acid. Antabuse inhibits the second step, causing levels of acetaldehyde in the blood to rise. The increased blood acetaldehyde causes the acute symptoms of vomiting, flushing, etc.
Treating Dog Lyme Disease
If the diagnosis is Lyme disease, your dog will be treated as an outpatient unless their condition is unstable . Doxycycline is the most common antibiotic that is prescribed for Lyme disease, but other antibiotics are also effective.
Treatment usually takes at least 4 weeks, and longer courses may be necessary in some cases. Your veterinarian may also prescribe an anti-inflammatory if your dog is especially uncomfortable.
Unfortunately, antibiotic treatment does not always completely eliminate the infection from Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria. Symptoms may resolve but then return at a later date, and the development of kidney disease in the future is always a concern.
Administering the antibiotics properly to your dog reduces the likelihood of chronic consequences.
Improvement in sudden inflammation of the joints caused by Borrelia should be seen after 3-5 days of antibiotic treatment. If there is no improvement within 3-5 days, your veterinarian will want to reevaluate your dog.
Lyme Bacteria Can Camouflage Themselves
Your immune system notes a microbes identity by memorizing its protein sequence or genetic code. Each of your immune cells uses this code to scan for the bacteria.
But the microbes dont play fair. They can change little parts of their DNA so they dont fit the code. Theyre like criminals continually changing their appearance. This means your immune system has to search for many codes, not one.
Biofilm is another reason Lyme is difficult to detect with blood tests. This not only protects them from our immune system, but also from being killed by antibiotics. Biofilm can make them up to 10,000 times more resistant to antibiotics. Not only that, antibiotics can trigger them to make the biofilm even stronger.
Whats more, the bacteria morph their DNA every time you take antibiotics. This makes them increasingly resistant to the drugs.
