Tag Archives: tick bites

Don’t wait to determine Lyme disease



In the two previous articles on Lyme disease we explained the importance of prevention and prompt treatment of early Lyme disease. What happens if an individual is not treated promptly?

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection transmitted by mostly the Deer tick. When a tick bites, it injects the individual with the Lyme disease bacteria. The bacteria travel through the skin and enter veins to circulate throughout the body and deposit it in specific target organs. These may include muscles, tendons and ligaments and joints, leading to the flu-like symptoms many individuals describe. If not treated or not cured at this early stage the final target organ of this germ is the Brain.
Unfortunately, there is no oral antibiotic that can cross the blood-brain effectively to kill this bacterium in the brain. This is the reason that oral antibiotic therapy for Lyme disease is not universally effective in treating early disease. If even a few bacteria get to the brain before oral antibiotic therapy is started, the individual will not be cured of Lyme disease and will develop a different presentation of Lyme disease called Late stage Lyme disease.



These individuals may in fact appear to get well from the initial oral antibiotic treatment, but somewhere within three months to a year after treatment may begin to develop new signs and symptoms. This may include more classic signs and symptoms such as swollen joints, but many will begin to experience more slowly progressive issues that may come and go. These may include fatigue, headaches, muscle and joint pains, Bell’s palsy, dizziness, memory problems, confusion, shooting pains, behavioral changes such as depression to name just a few. In fact Lyme disease has mimicked many other diseases.

Late stage Lyme disease, treatment requires the use of intravenous antibiotics as these are the only agents which can cross the brains’ blood-brain barrier at dosages which are adequate to kill the Lyme disease bacteria. Prior to embarking on this treatment the Physician should confirm that the individual is really infected with the Lyme disease bacterium. What we consider sound medical practice to achieve this goal will be described in next week’s installment.



Lyme Disease Transmission



blackleggedThe Lyme disease bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, normally lives in mice, squirrels and other small animals. It is transmitted among these animals and to humans through the bites of certain species of ticks. In the northeastern and north-central United States, the black-legged tick (or deer tick, Ixodes scapularis) transmits Lyme disease. In the Pacific coastal United States, the disease is spread by the western black-legged tick (Ixodes pacificus). Other major tick species found in the United States have not been shown to transmit Borrelia burgdorferi.

Blacklegged ticks transmit Lyme disease
Blacklegged (or deer) ticks (Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus) can transmit several tick-borne diseases including anaplasmosis, babesiosis and Lyme disease. An adult tick is pictured at left, though it is the smaller nymphal stage ticks which most commonly bite humans.



lifecycleLife cycle of blacklegged ticks

Blacklegged ticks live for two years and have three feeding stages: larvae, nymph, and adult. Tick eggs are Tick Lyme Disease Treatmentlaid in the spring and hatch as larvae in the summer. Larvae feed on mice, birds, and other small animals in the summer and early fall. When a young tick feeds on an infected animal, the tick takes bacteria into its body along with the blood meal, and it remains infected for the rest of its life. After this initial feeding, the larvae become inactive as they grow into nymphs. The following spring, nymphs seek blood meals in order to fuel their growth into adults. When the tick feeds again, it can transmit the bacterium to its new host. Usually the new host is another small rodent, but sometimes the new host is a human. Most cases of human illness occur in the late spring and summer when the tiny nymphs are most active and human outdoor activity is greatest. Adult ticks feed on large animals, and sometimes on humans. In the spring, adult female ticks lay their eggs on the ground, completing the life cycle. Although adult ticks often feed on deer, these animals do not become infected. Deer are nevertheless important in transporting ticks and maintaining tick populations.



Early Lyme diagnosis and Lyme treatment are critical to a successful cure.

Protect Yourself from Tick Bites



Avoid areas with a lot of ticks

  • Ticks prefer wooded and bushy areas with high grass and a lot of leaf litter. These are very common in the Wilmington, Delaware area. These are areas to avoid.
  • Take extra precautions in May, June, and July. This is when ticks that transmit Lyme disease are most active.
  • If you do enter a tick area, walk in the center of the trail to avoid contact with overgrown grass, brush, and leaf litter.
  • Ask your local health department and park or extension service about tick infested areas to avoid.

Keep ticks off your skin



  • Use insect repellent with Permethrin to prevent tick bites. It can be purchased at outdoor equipment stores that carry camping or hunting gear. Permethrin kills ticks on contact! One application to pants, socks, and shoes typically stays effective through several washings. Permethrin should not be applied directly to skin.
  • Wear long pants, long sleeves, and long socks to keep ticks off your skin. Light-colored clothing will help you spot ticks more easily. Tucking pant legs into socks or boots and tucking shirts into pants help keep ticks on the outside of clothing. If you’ll be outside for an extended period of time, tape the area where your pants and socks meet to prevent ticks from crawling under your clothes.

Check your skin and clothes for ticks every day

  • Remove ticks from your clothes before going indoors. To kill ticks that you may have missed, wash your clothes with hot water and dry them using high heat for at least one hour.
  • Perform daily tick checks after being outdoors, even in your own yard. Inspect all parts of your body carefully including your armpits, scalp, and groin. Remove ticks immediately using fine-tipped tweezers.
  • If a tick is attached to your skin for less than 24 hours, your chance of getting Lyme disease is extremely small. But just to be safe, monitor your health closely after a tick bite and be alert for any signs and symptoms of tick-borne illness.

If you suspect Lyme disease it’s important to get an accurate diagnosis and Lyme treatment started right away.



We recommend Sawyer’s Insect Repellant



tick-repellantInsect repellant for ticksSawyer not only repels insects, it actually kill ticks, mosquitoes, chiggers, mites and more than 100 other kinds of insects. Sawyer repellents are for use on clothing, tents and other gear only. A single application will remain effective for up to six weeks, even if you wash the garment once a week.

Visit the Sawyer website for more information or to purchase



 

 



Domenick Braccia

Domenick BracciaMedical Doctor at Haverford Wellness Center
Domenick Braccia, D.O. is the Medical Director of Haverford Wellness Center. With over 20 years of experience in healthcare, Dr. Braccia is a graduate of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed a Family Practice Residency Program at Delaware County Memorial Hospital. Successful treatment of Lyme disease is a professional challenge for Dr. Braccia, using both traditional and non-traditional therapies, to offer the best possible treatment outcome. Dr. Braccia provides patients with the best clinical Lyme research as well as his personal philosophy of treating “the whole person.”

26 reasons why you might receive a false “negative Lyme test”



false1. Recent infection before immune response
2. Antibodies are in immune complexes
3. Spirochete encapsulated by host tissue (i.e.: lymphocytic cell walls)
4. Spirochete is deep in host tissue (i.e.: fibroblasts, neurons, etc.)
5. Blebs in body fluid, no whole organisms available for PCR
6. No spirochetes in body fluid on day of test
7. Genetic heterogeneity (300 strains, 100 in U.S.)
8. Antigenic variability
9. Surface antigens change with temperature
10. Utilization of host protease instead of microbial protease
11. Spirochete in dormancy phase (L-form) with no cell walls Additional Reasons for False Lyme test
12. Recent antibiotic treatment
13. Recent anti-inflammatory treatment
14. Concomitant infection with babesia may cause immunosuppression
15. Other causes of immunosuppression
16. Lab with poor technical capability for Lyme disease
17. Lab tests not standardized for late stage disease
18. CDC criteria is epidemiological not a diagnostic criteria
19. Lack of standardized control
20. Most controls use only a few strains as reference point
21. Few organisms are sometimes present
22. Encapsulated by glycoprotein “S-layer” which impairs immune recognition
23. “S”- layer binds to IgM
24. Immune deficiency
25. Possible down regulation of immune system by cytokines
26. Revised Western Blot test criteria fails to include most significant antigens