When Life Gives You Lyme: Scary Stuff

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Scary Stuff

This was the most current map I could find on the CDC website. It's from 2003. Infection rates have increased by 50% in some states, just from 2007 to 2008.

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What is Lyme Disease?

While Lyme disease is very complex, it is basically a bacterial infection caused by a spirochete, (a corkscrew-shaped bacteria) called Borrelia Burgdorferi. It is a blood-borne infection most commonly spread by the bite of a deer tick, which can be as small as the size of a poppy seed. Because of it's corkscrew shape, the Lyme bacteria can literally drill through tissue and get anywhere in the body in very short periods of time, (within three weeks of a bite, the bacteria can be identified in spinal fluid.) This is the reason that Lyme can affect almost any body system, and the symptoms can be so varied. In advance stages, Lyme attacks the central nervous system and can be misdiagnosed as ALS, MS, Parkinson's or Alzheimers. Prevention is easy if you are aware of the risk and know what to look for. Please be AWARE!!