Tick-borne borreliosis: symptoms and treatment. Tick-borne borreliosis symptoms, consequences and prevention in adults

Not all ticks are sources of disease, bearing a provocative bite pattern. Ixodid tick-borne borreliosis occurs only in those ticks that have managed to become infected with Borrelia from an infected animal that it bit before attacking a person. An infected person after a tick bite is not dangerous to other people; he is not able to carry the infection.

Borreliosis

Within 7 days after being infected by a tick, people may notice redness (erythema) on their skin, increasing to an impressive size. Interior The erythema becomes lighter, taking on a rounded shape, and the bite site is healed. In the absence of proper treatment, after 3 weeks the spot will disappear on its own, and the disease will become chronic form.

Clinical picture

A tick bite itself is not felt on the body. When an infection enters the bloodstream, it spreads through the bloodstream throughout the body. For heart organs, muscles, joints, central nervous system, borreliosis, can persist for a long time, which provokes a chronic form of the disease.

The immune system the body is trying to fight harmful microorganisms, but the strength is not enough. The disease can occur in several forms.

The first stage is the reproduction of borrelia, penetration to the lymph nodes.
The second stage is infection of the body by spreading through the blood.
The third stage is damage to the nervous or musculoskeletal system (chronic form).

First stage of the disease

The first stage continues from the first day and lasts for 35 days, if we take the average duration, then it is 7 days. The course of the disease begins acutely, accompanied by elevated temperature up to 39 degrees. Patients complain of headaches, painful sensations in the muscles, throat during swallowing, and joints. Symptoms of berryliosis may affect the enlargement of the liver and spleen.

Within a week from the onset of infection, a papule forms, which quickly turns into annular erythema. Often the bite site can be the neck, thighs, wrist, or torso. An increase in the size of the erythema, can reach a diameter of more than 20 cm, while having a regular shape, in some cases, the erythema takes most body, sometimes with the appearance of stripes.

The edges of the erythema are red, swollen, inflamed, raised above the surface skin. The center of inflammatory erythema is marked by a bluish color and looks like an eye. In some cases, a gradual increase in the infiltrate is possible, and the lymph nodes become enlarged with painful sensations. A quarter of patients complain of the occurrence of repeated ring-shaped elements and an urticarial, papular rash.

The disease is in the first stage and continues for a long time. The affected skin atrophies over time, becoming thin, unattractive, and dry as paper. At this stage of the disease, the manifestation of iritis, iridocyclitis with pathology of the visual organs is possible. Phlebectasia may develop. Most often, this form of illness lasts about a month.
The symptoms accompanying the first stage of the disease look like this: pain near the bite site, redness, itching, swelling. Most often, the symptoms of the first form of the disease go away on their own without drug therapy.

Second stage

The second stage is reflected in disorders of a neurological and cardiac nature. Pathologies become noticeable 40 days after the onset of the disease, the duration is several months.

Three areas of impairment are most commonly noted. Nervous system – meningitis (serous), radiculitis, damage to the intracranial nerve. The sign of serous meningitis resembles the meningeal form of tick-borne encephalitis. Lymphocytic pleocytosis is noted in the cerospinal fluid with an increase in the amount of protein.

Symptoms similar to encephalitis, encephalomyelitis are often observed; oculomotor paresis, paralysis and tetraparesis of the facial and intracranial nerve are possible. Possibly a typical manifestation of paralysis cranial nerves 4 pairs (Bell's palsy), neuralgia pathologies.

A tick bite after manifestations of erythema appears painful sensations. The occurrence of polyradiculoneuritis or meningoradiculoneuritis leads to sensory impairment thoracic And motor functions spinal nerve roots.

Possible changes in heart function appear at 5 weeks. Characterized by pathology of anterior ventricular (atrioventricular) conduction, in rare cases, heart block, disturbance heart rate, sometimes with signs of myocarditis, pericarditis, accompanied by an enlargement of the heart organ. Left ventricular heart failure may develop. Duration pathological condition heart, can last from 7 to 45 days.

Third stage of the disease

The third stage (arthritic borreliosis) can develop several months and sometimes years after the onset of the disease. Several typical manifestations are known in medicine of this disease.

nervous system disorder (polyneuropathy, encephalomyelitis, encephalopathy);
chronic arthritis;
acrodermatitis of the atrophic type (skin lesions);

Most often, the disease manifests itself in one of the body systems. For example, in the joints, skin or nervous system, but after a while complex damage is possible.
Chronic arthritis can affect both small and large joints, due to relapse of the disease, the joints are subject to deformation. The cartilage becomes thinner and gradually destroyed, osteoporosis begins to develop in the bone structure, the process affects the neighboring muscles, which lies at the source of the development of chronic myositis.

Acrodermatitis of the atrophic type is manifested by bluish spots in the extensor areas of the elbows, soles, hands, and knees. The skin thickens and swells. Relapses of the process and the duration of the existing disease lead to atrophy (thinning) of the skin.

When the nervous system is damaged in the third stage, the process is very diverse. Pain of various kinds, loss or decrease in sensitivity, impaired concentration of movements, mental abilities, hearing and vision loss. Epilepsy attacks, stressful conditions, depression, and increased emotionality are possible. When taking a blood test, leukocytosis, hyperleukocytosis, and an increase in ESR are possible. Recurrent polyarthritis is noted.

The incubation period for tick-borne berryliosis with symptoms lasts about a month. The manifestation of symptoms depends on the course and pathological process The stage of development also plays an important role in the disease.

Possible consequences and complications

The development of this disease has serious consequences for the heart, nervous system, joints. It is necessary to take tick attacks seriously, recognize the disease in a timely manner, consult a specialist, and undergo clinical tests. If the diagnosis is confirmed, you need to undergo the recommended treatment, it is better to do this in a specialized infectious diseases department.

In a medical institution, therapy will be comprehensive, focused on the destruction of Borrelia. The absence of the correct course of therapy will lead to the disease becoming chronic, sometimes with disability.

Detection of the disease in the first stage allows adequate therapy which guarantees complete recovery. Borreliosis of the second degree with selected treatment in most cases is cured without a trace. The hardest and long treatment occurs when a chronic type of disease is identified, which has functional consequences, even after a course of therapy.

arrhythmia;
decreased muscle strength in the legs and arms;
heart failure;
impaired sensitivity;
defeat facial nerve with visible deformation;
deterioration of vision and hearing;
impaired joint function and deformation;
epileptic seizures;

The good news is that these consequences are not always observed in patients with the third or chronic form of borreliosis. Often, even an advanced stage after a course of treatment has a significant improvement with slow recovery.

Treatment of borreliosis

For adequate treatment of this disease, a complex of pathogenetic and etiotropic agents is required. It is necessary to take into account the stage of the disease process.
When therapy tick-borne borreliosis, started with antibacterial agents. In the first form of the course, this makes it possible to reduce the likely provocation of cardiac and neurological arthralgic consequences.

Early infection with migratory erythremia is treated with Doxycycline (0.1 twice a day orally), Amoxycycline (0.5 three times a day). The course of therapy is at least 3 weeks. During the development of carditis and meningitis, it is recommended parenteral administration antibiotics: Ceftriaxone intravenously 2 g once every 24 hours. Benzylpenicillin intravenously 20 ml 4 times a day. The course of therapy is from two weeks to a month.

The photo shows erythema migrans

At the onset of the disease, treatment with Tetracycline 1.0-1.5 g per day for two weeks is possible. Erythema can disappear on its own without the use of medications, but bacterial therapy promotes disappearance in a shorter time. What is important about bacterial therapy is that it helps prevent the disease from progressing to the second and third stages, which is the main goal.

In combination with Tetracycline, Doxycycline is effective, which is prescribed to patients with migratory, ring-shaped erythema, and benign skin lymphoma. The course of therapy is designed for 2-4 weeks, 200 mg each.

Penicillin is prescribed for patients with systemic borreliosis, in cases of damage to the nervous system in the second stage. In the first stage of myalgia, fixed arthralgia, a high dose of the drug of 20,000,000 units is recommended. per day intramuscularly, or in combination with i.v. IN Lately doctors prefer treatment with Ampicillin 1.5-2.0 g per 24 hours. The course of therapy is 2-4 weeks.

Cephalosporins are the most effective and highly effective antibiotics. For Lyme disease, Ceftriaxone is prescribed in both early and late stages, as well as for atrioventricular block, arthritis, and neurological disorders. The medicine is recommended to be administered intravenously 2 g once a day for 14 days. If patients have an intolerance to various types antibiotics, doctors may prescribe Erythromycin, a group of macrolides.

Among the species modern treatment, the drug Sumamed received positive reviews. The course of therapy is from 5 to 10 days. Lyme arthritis is treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: Naproxin, Chlotazol, Plaquinil, Indomethacin. Additional physiotherapy and analgesics are prescribed.

To reduce allergic manifestations, it is recommended to take desensitizing medications. Sometimes the use of antibacterial agents causes severe aggravated symptoms, just as in the treatment of spirochetosis. A Jarisch-Gersheimer reaction is possible. Mass death of spirochetes occurs with the release of toxins into the bloodstream.
General strengthening drugs with adaptogens are recommended, vitamin complex(A, B, C).

Predictions after completing the courses therapeutic therapy, are mostly positive, but in some cases disability is possible due to damage to the central nervous system and joints.
Patients who have had borriliosis must be registered with a doctor to undergo quarterly examinations for two years.

Preventive measures

Prevention of tick-borne borreliosis is carried out both by direct extermination of the tick in nature and by protective measures.

Good to know

For protection in endemic areas, special anti-tick suits are required, however, you can use other ordinary clothing. The shirt must be tucked into the pants, the trousers must be tucked into closed high shoes. The cuffs and collar must fit snugly to the body, and a headdress is mandatory equipment.

After visiting public gardens and parks, returning from hunting or fishing, or perhaps just from the forest, you need to carefully examine your body and clothing for the presence of ticks.

The suit has 100% protection against bloodsuckers. Manufactured by a domestic manufacturer, which is guaranteed to have well-deserved recognition along with foreign samples. Using the Bio Stop suit, there is no need to use repellents or frequently inspect clothing and body.
If there is no need to purchase such a suit, then you can protect your clothes with the help of repellents.

Tick-borne borreliosis (Lyme disease)- an infectious transmissible natural focal disease caused by spirochetes and transmitted, tending to be chronic and recurrent and predominantly affecting the skin, nervous system, musculoskeletal system and heart.

The study of the disease first began in 1975 in the town of Lyme (USA).

Cause of the disease

The causative agents of tick-borne borreliosis are spirochetes of the genus Borrelia. The pathogen is closely related to ixodid ticks and their natural hosts. The commonality of vectors for pathogens of ixodid tick-borne borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis viruses determines the presence of cases of mixed infection in ticks, and therefore in patients.

Geography

The geographic distribution of Lyme disease is vast, occurring on all continents (except Antarctica). The Leningrad, Tver, Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Kaliningrad, Perm, Tyumen regions, as well as the Ural, West Siberian and Far Eastern regions for ixodic tick-borne borreliosis are considered very endemic (constant manifestation of this disease in a certain area). In the territory Leningrad region The main keepers and carriers of Borrelia are taiga and European forest ticks. Infection with Lyme disease pathogens in tick-carriers in different natural foci can vary over a wide range (from 5-10 to 70-90%).

A patient with tick-borne borreliosis is not contagious to others.

Disease development process

Infection with tick-borne borreliosis occurs when bitten by an infected tick. Borrelia enter the skin with the tick's saliva and multiply for several days, after which they spread to other areas of the skin and internal organs(heart, brain, joints, etc.). Borrelia can persist in the human body for a long time (years), causing a chronic and recurrent course of the disease. The chronic course of the disease can develop after a long period of time. The process of disease development in borreliosis is similar to the process of development of syphilis.

Signs of Lyme disease

The incubation period of tick-borne borreliosis ranges from 2 to 30 days, on average 2 weeks.

A characteristic feature The onset of the disease in 70% of cases is the appearance at the site of a tick bite. The red spot gradually increases along the periphery, reaching 1-10 cm in diameter, sometimes up to 60 cm or more. The shape of the spot is round or oval, less often irregular. The outer edge of the inflamed skin is more intensely red and rises somewhat above the skin level. Over time, the central part of the spot turns pale or acquires a bluish tint, creating a ring shape. At the site of the tick bite, in the center of the spot, a crust is visible, then a scar. Without treatment, the spot persists for 2-3 weeks, then disappears.

After 1-1.5 months, signs of damage to the nervous system, heart, and joints develop.

Diagnostics

The appearance of a red spot at the site of a tick bite gives reason to think primarily about Lyme disease. To confirm the diagnosis, a blood test is performed.

Treatment should be carried out in an infectious diseases hospital, where, first of all, therapy aimed at destroying Borrelia is carried out. Without such treatment, the disease progresses and becomes chronic course, and in some cases leads to disability.

Treatment of tick-borne borreliosis

Treatment should be comprehensive, including adequate etiotropic and pathogenetic agents. The stage of the disease must be taken into account.

If treatment of tick-borne borreliosis with antibacterial drugs is started already at stage I, then the likelihood of developing neurological, cardiac and arthralgic complications is significantly reduced.

For early infection (in the presence of migratory erythema), doxycycline (0.1 g 2 times a day orally) or amoxicillin (0.5-1 g orally 3 times a day) is used, the duration of therapy is 20-30 days. With the development of carditis and meningitis, antibiotics are administered parenterally (ceftriaxone IV 2 g once a day, benzylpenicillin IV 20 million units per day in 4 injections); Duration of therapy is 14-30 days.

In the early stages, tetracycline is considered the drug of choice at a dose of 1.0-1.5 g/day for 10-14 days. Untreated migratory erythema annulare may disappear spontaneously, on average after 1 month (from 1 day to 14 months), but antibacterial treatment helps the erythema disappear in more time. short term, and most importantly, can prevent the transition to II and Stage III diseases.

Along with tetracycline, doxycycline is also effective for tick-borne borreliosis, which must be prescribed to patients with skin manifestations of the disease (erythema migrans, benign skin lymphoma). The daily dose of the drug for adults is 200 mg per os for 10-30 days.

Penicillin is prescribed to patients with systemic tick-borne borreliosis with lesions of the nervous system in stage II, and in stage I for myalgia and fixed arthralgia. High doses of penicillin are used - 20,000,000 units per day intramuscularly or in combination with intravenous administration. However, ampicillin has recently been considered more effective. daily dose 1.5-2.0 g for 10-30 days.

From the group of cephalosporins, the most effective antibiotic for Lyme disease is ceftriaxone, which is recommended for early and late neurological disorders, high degrees of atrioventricular block, and arthritis (including chronic). The drug is administered intravenously at a dose of 2 g 1 time per day for 2 weeks.

Of the macrolides, erythromycin is used, which is prescribed to patients with intolerance to other antibiotics and in the early stages of the disease at a dose of 30 ml/kg per day for 10-30 days. IN last years reports have been received on the effectiveness of sumamed used in patients with migratory ring-shaped erythema within 5-10 days.

For Lyme arthritis, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (plaquinil, naproxin, indomethacin, chlotazole), analgesics, and physiotherapy are more often used.

To reduce allergic manifestations, desensitizing drugs are used in normal dosages.

Often against the background of use antibacterial drugs observed, as in the treatment of other spirochetoses, a pronounced exacerbation of the symptoms of the disease (the Jarisch-Gersheimer reaction, first described in the 16th century in patients with syphilis). These phenomena are caused by the mass death of spirochetes and the release of endotoxins into the blood.

During the period of convalescence, patients are prescribed general restoratives and adaptogens, vitamins A, B and C.

Treatment of tick-borne borreliosis is successfully carried out at the clinic of the Research Institute of Rheumatology of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences.

The prognosis for life is favorable, but disability is possible due to damage to the nervous system and joints.

Those who have recovered are under medical supervision for 2 years and are examined after 3, 6, 12 months and after 2 years.

Preventing Lyme Disease

The leading role in the prevention of Lyme disease is the fight against ticks, where both indirect (protective) measures and their direct extermination in nature are used.

Treating the area against ticks with insectoacaricides (for example, "") is the most reliable way prevention of tick-borne infections, since all ticks in the treated area are destroyed.

Protection in endemic areas can be achieved using special anti-tick suits. For these purposes, you can adapt regular clothing by tucking in your shirt and trousers, the latter in boots, cuffs tightly adjusted, etc.

Leading Russian entomologists have developed a special "". Today, thanks to the combination of mechanical and chemical protection principles, this suit is the most effective means against ticks. Special flounces located on the suit act as traps for ticks crawling upward. Inside the shuttlecock there is an insert impregnated with an acaricidal substance that is lethal to ticks. Under its influence, the tick dies within a few minutes and falls off the clothing.

According to the conclusion of the FGN Research Institute of Disinfectology of Rospotrebnadzor, the suit has a protection factor of 100% and “in terms of efficiency it significantly exceeds all known domestic and foreign samples.” Thus, using “ ”, there is no need to use repellents and conduct frequent inspections of clothing.

As soon as possible, you should go to the infectious diseases hospital with the tick removed to have it examined for the presence of Borrelia. In order to prevent Lyme disease after being bitten by an infected tick, it is recommended to take 1 tablet (0.1 g) of doxycycline 2 times a day for 5 days (not prescribed for children under 12 years of age).

Tick-borne borreliosis has many common features With . In Russia, Lyme disease has been detected in 89 large administrative territories.

The incidence of Lyme disease in the Russian Federation is 1.7-3.5 per 100 thousand population. You can get sick at any age. Humans are infected with Borrelia by adult Ixodid ticks. However, the incidence of Lyme disease is much higher than tick-borne encephalitis. Lyme disease It is dangerous because it often gives chronic forms. Adults and older people are more seriously ill, which is explained by the presence of concomitant chronic pathology(atherosclerosis, hypertonic disease). No deaths have been reported to date.

Ixodid tick-borne borreliosis in children and adults: guidelines for doctors / ed. Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation, Academician of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Yu.V. Lobzin. - St. Petersburg, 2010. - 64 p.

Borreliosis mite, as it is often called, is a pathogen. The disease was first recorded in the seventies of the last century in the American city of Lyme, where the name came from. Later, tick-borne borreliosis was discovered in other European countries, including Russia. Every year, about 8 thousand cases of this disease are recorded in the country.

On a note!
It is impossible to become infected with borreliosis without a tick bite, which has been scientifically proven. Some doctors believe that the disease is sexually transmitted due to the fact that semen contains borrelia, through the blood of a donor and unpasteurized milk of an infected animal. All these assumptions are questionable. If there is such a possibility of infection, it is negligible.

Classification of the disease

The causative agent of borreliosis penetrates cells and can remain there without showing itself for a long period (up to 10 years) in the so-called “dormant state”. This leads to chronic borreliosis. The patient is not dangerous to others and cannot infect other people. The disease is classified according to different signs. Its form is:

Latent. Conducted laboratory analysis shows the absence of symptoms.
Manifest. The patient is experiencing rapid development of infection.

The course of the disease can take an acute form, which is divided into the following types:

Erythema. If you are bitten by a Borreliosis mite, redness is observed in this area, which increases in size over time.
Non-erythematous. There is no redness at the site of the bite. Damage occurs to the nervous and cardiovascular systems and joints.

On a note!
The acute course of borreliosis from a tick bite lasts for 3 months, and the subacute course from 3 to 6.

The chronic form of the course is of two types:

Continuous.
Recurrent. There is a recurrent disease in which damage to the skin, heart, joints, and nervous system occurs.

According to the severity of borreliosis, there are 4 forms:

light;
moderate severity;
heavy;
extremely heavy.

The nature of Lyme disease is natural focal. There are 3 types of Borelli:
burgdorferi;
garinii;
afzelii.

They are microscopic microorganisms whose length is from 11 to 25 microns. The first signs of borreliosis after a tick bite in a person begin to appear after 1-2 weeks. The incidence is detected on all continents. The only exceptions are the Arctic and Antarctic. The hosts of the pathogen can be a variety of animals: sheep, dogs, rodents, large cattle. They do not pose a danger to humans, unlike an infected tick, which transmits the infection to the next generation. Most often they are found in regions with a temperate climate, especially in those areas where there are many mixed forests. In Russia these are the central regions, Western Siberia and the Urals. observed with the arrival of spring.
The bite of a borreliosis tick can cause 2 types of diseases: borroleosis and. This various diseases, they differ in incubation period, symptoms, treatment. Tick activity continues until October. At this time, they can bite any person, regardless of age. Borroleosis is most severely affected by elderly people and children. The likelihood of getting sick increases when visiting parks and forest areas.

Stages and symptoms of the disease
For a person, the development of the disease can go unnoticed, especially if he has not felt it. There are 3 stages of the disease, which are characterized by certain symptoms and consequences of tick-borne borreliosis.
Stage I
It is characterized by local and general manifestations. They are reversible and last from 30 to 40 days. The first signs begin to appear 3 days after the tick bite. Some people (6-8% of total number sick patients) do not experience any symptoms at all - a hidden course of the disease. Most people experience redness in the area of the bite in the form of a spot, which increases in size every day. Most often, spots appear on the legs, chest, shoulders, neck, and groin area. Sometimes the spots appear to “creep” all over the body; they are not connected to the site of the bite in any way. Symptoms of Lyme disease at this stage include:
headache;
dizziness;
general malaise, which manifests itself in weakness, chills.
nausea and vomiting (in rare cases);
pain and tension in the neck muscles and joints;
photophobia.

Some patients appear specific signs in the form of a runny nose, coughing, sore throat.
In a certain proportion of people, the manifestation of the disease after a tick bite can only appear in the form of spots. If measures are not taken and borreliosis is not treated in time, it can develop into other stages. The majority of infected people proper treatment recover and acquire immunity for 5 years.

Stage II
The infection at this stage spreads throughout the body and lasts about three months. The disease is chronic. Borrelia penetrate deep into the tissues and cells of the body, causing damage to the brain and spinal cord, joints, heart, retina. This stage is characterized severe course diseases. Symptoms of borreliosis after a bite are as follows:
damage to the nervous system is observed, the heart suffers, brain activity is disrupted;
strong headache pulsating in nature, painful sensations appear in the back, memory and sleep are disturbed, and symptoms of facial paralysis appear;
10% of patients experience heart failure, shortness of breath, stiffness of movement, chest pain, uncharacteristic heartbeat, and diseases such as pericarditis and myocarditis.

To prevent further development of the disease, it is necessary to carry out appropriate treatment for tick-borne borreliosis; the disease can drag on for several months, sometimes up to two years.
Stage III
At this stage, borreliosis acquires acute course. It manifests itself in the form of chronic arthritis, atrophic acrodermatitis (severe damage to the skin), disorders of the nervous system (encephalopathy, polyneuropathy, encephalomyelitis). Most often, the disease affects one system.
At this stage, a person needs long-term. The consequences in adults can be very different. Recovery is not always possible. Not everyone can survive this stage of the disease normally. A large number of patients are doomed to relapse. This leads to disability and job loss. Rare, but possible death.

How to treat borreliosis
Prevention of borreliosis is not carried out. A patient who has been bitten by a tick is constantly monitored. If a virus is detected in a person’s blood, the doctor immediately prescribes the necessary therapeutic treatment with the help of antibiotics, supplementing the course with vitamins.
Any disease, including ixodic tick-borne borreliosis, begins to be treated with an examination by a doctor, who must make the correct diagnosis. He examines the patient’s body for the presence of red spots, writes a referral letter, and schedules a consultation with an infectious disease specialist and a dermatologist. Clinical analysis blood will help identify specific antibodies to the causative agent of the disease. It is recommended to do it twice, with an interval of 2-3 weeks, for a clearer picture of the disease.
Medicines are prescribed by the attending physician. He also describes the regimen and dosage of medications, taking into account the stage of the disease and its reaction to the body.
In no case should you self-medicate, as the risk of an unfavorable course of the disease may increase.

Gives a good effect at the initial stage medicinal product– Tetracycline. It is taken 500 mg 4 times a day. It is sold in pharmacies, the cost of the drug is reasonable, on average it is 120 rubles.
At acute stage General medications are prescribed. These include:
Cefuroxime;
Amoxicillin;
Azithromycin, etc.

Lyme disease often involves taking different drugs. Their combination gives best effect. Also, when prescribing, the doctor takes into account the presence different types symptom. So, for neurological manifestations, the following drugs have proven themselves well:
Doxycycline. It should be taken 2 times a day.
Ceftriaxone. This medicine is administered intravenously at 2000 mg once a day.
Levomycetin. It is taken orally or administered intravenously 4 times a day, 500 mg.

The course of treatment for any of them is designed for 14-28 days.
If a person is diagnosed with Lyme disease, he must adhere to a proper diet. The diet should include foods that normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. In the morning and evening, it is recommended to consume real yogurt or kefir, which helps remove toxins from the body. You need to drink juices (made yourself from fresh fruits and vegetables) and purified water. If neurological symptoms appear, you should eat chicken and fatty fish. For salad dressings, it is advisable to use pumpkin and flaxseed oil.
These will help in treatment folk remedies:
White clay. It is sold in pharmacies. You need to drink it for six months, after which you can take a break. In 250 ml clean water dilute 1 tsp. clay, leave it overnight and drink the settled water in the morning before eating. This drink removes toxins from the body.
Powder seaweed. One sachet is taken for 10 days, then a break of 10 days is taken. And this should be taken for 5 months. This tool cleanses well the lymph, blood and gastrointestinal tract.
Infusions of tansy, wormwood, nettle, rose hips, calendula, linden flowers, hawthorn. Infusions and decoctions are made from these plants and applied to the stains. They go away faster and don't itch.

Emergency prevention consists of. For this purpose, iodine, brilliant green and celandine juice are used. Walnut oil and plantain juice help a lot. When going for a walk in a park or forest, you must have one of the listed products in your first aid kit.
Lyme disease in children
Children preschool age practically do not suffer from borreliosis. The consequences for a child after a tick bite can be unpredictable. The main danger is the development of meningitis. After a course of treatment, children may exhibit residual reactions in the form of increased excitability, unstable mood, and sleep disorders. After a certain period of time they completely disappear. and the course of the disease is the same as in adults. If a child has been bitten by a tick infected with borreliosis, and the first signs of the disease begin to appear: the general condition has worsened, redness has appeared at the site of the tick bite, you should immediately consult a doctor.
Olga, Irkutsk

Prevention
Prevention of borreliosis after a tick bite also involves taking the following antibiotics: Doxycycline, Ceftriaxone. The dosage and regimen should be prescribed by a doctor.
The best prevention after a tick bite is timely treatment.

Borreliosis — dangerous disease infectious origin. The pathogen is transmitted by ticks. By the way, the disease is rightfully considered dangerous, since the lack of timely assistance leads to the development dangerous complications. At the same time, diagnosing the disease is fraught with a lot of difficulties, because the clinical picture is sometimes blurred and it is difficult for the doctor to connect all the symptoms together.

Many patients are interested additional information about this disease. How can you catch an infection? What symptoms should you pay attention to? Is treatment of borreliosis with antibiotics effective? Are there effective preventive actions? The answers to these questions are important to many readers.

What is the disease?

The causes and treatment of borreliosis with antibiotics is information that many people are interested in. But first, it’s worth understanding what the disease is. Borreliosis is an infectious disease caused by Borrelia, a spirochete.

This bacterium lives in the intestines of ticks - it is through the bite of this insect that pathogenic microorganisms enter the human blood. Typically, symptoms begin to appear 7-14 days after the bite. The disease affects almost the entire body, including the nervous system, skin, musculoskeletal system, and heart.

Causes of development of borreliosis and routes of transmission of infection

Before considering treatment of borreliosis with antibiotics, it is worth learning more about the ways the infection enters the body. As already mentioned, spirochetes live in the digestive tract of ticks - they enter the human body along with saliva during a bite. But this is not the only route of infection.

The pathogen is released from the insect's grass tube along with feces. It can enter the human body through microtraumas on the skin, which happens when scratching the bite site. If the tick's body is accidentally damaged during removal, borrelia can enter the blood through the skin.

What symptoms accompany the disease?

Symptoms and treatment of borreliosis with antibiotics is information that is of interest to many. To begin with, it is worth understanding some features of the clinical picture.

The site of the tick bite usually becomes red and swollen. The formed spot becomes larger, erythema forms on the skin, the diameter of which sometimes reaches 60 cm. The affected area often itches and becomes hot. Patients complain of loss of sensitivity and a feeling of tight skin.

There are also other symptoms of intoxication, in particular, fever, aching joints, headaches, severe weakness, discomfort in the muscles. Patients also report a sore throat, annoying cough, frequent nausea. Upon examination, you may notice an increase in lymph nodes.

If the patient was not provided adequate treatment, then the disease moves into the second stage of development. Pathogenic microorganisms enter the bloodstream and settle in various organs. Often the infection affects the nervous system, which is accompanied by impaired sensitivity and coordination, and weakened reflexes. Sometimes patients complain of problems with sleep, impaired perception of sound and light, and decreased concentration.

The disease also negatively affects work of cardio-vascular system. Patients experience disturbances in heart rhythm and conduction; patients often suffer from severe pain in the chest.

Other symptoms are also present. In particular, infected people often complain of pain in the joints and muscles. Red spots (erythema) appear on the skin.

After 3-6 months (sometimes a year), the disease progresses to chronic stage, which is very difficult to treat. Periodically, the disease is activated, after which a stage of remission occurs, but even during periods of relative well-being, problems with the heart, joints, and nervous system are present.

Diagnosis of borreliosis

You should consult a doctor as soon as possible if you are bitten by a tick. Borreliosis (antibiotic treatment will be described below) is accompanied by the appearance of some symptoms. To begin with, the doctor, of course, will collect an anamnesis, and then examine the bite site for the presence of characteristic erythema (redness).

However, the presence of the disease can only be confirmed laboratory conditions. That is why, after a bite, experts recommend saving the dead tick - this way doctors will have the opportunity to conduct the necessary tests and identify Borrelia (pathogens do not live in every insect of this species).

Main goals of therapy

What does therapy look like for a disease such as tick-borne borreliosis? Treatment with antibiotics in this case is necessary. But this is a serious pathology that requires integrated approach. Therapy in this case pursues several goals.

Treatment of borreliosis with antibiotics is aimed at eliminating the pathogen.
In addition, the goal of therapy is to prevent the development of allergic reactions, which often occur when bitten by a tick.
It is important to strengthen the immune system in order to help it cope with the inflammatory process.
It is extremely important to monitor the patient’s condition in order to prevent damage to the cardiovascular and nervous systems.
If we are talking about a chronic form of the disease, then it is important to prevent or at least reduce the number of relapses.

Don't ignore this serious illness like borreliosis. Treatment with antibiotics and other drugs helps cope with the symptoms of the disease. But the treatment regimen is always drawn up individually.

What antibiotics are used in the first days after a bite?

Immediately after a bite you should consult a doctor. If there is reason to suspect the presence of an infection, then it is necessary to immediately begin therapy. Treatment of borreliosis with antibiotics after a tick bite (in this case we are talking about the first 2-3 days) includes the use of drugs such as:

"Doxycycline" - used in the form of a solution, injections are carried out twice a day for ten days.
"Amoxiclav" - four injections per day for five days.
"Extencillin" - the solution is administered intramuscularly, and this is a one-time procedure.

Timely injections of these drugs do not guarantee complete safety of the patient - therapy does not end there. Nevertheless, timely use of these antibiotics halves the likelihood of further development of the disease with all associated complications.

Treatment of Lyme borreliosis with antibiotics at the first stage

It is worth saying right away that self-medication is strictly prohibited. Only a doctor can diagnose a disease such as borreliosis. Treatment with antibiotics (Doxycycline is often used for this disease) should be supervised by a specialist. Drugs are selected individually depending on the patient’s condition and the sensitivity of pathogenic bacteria to a particular drug.

Therapy should be started as soon as possible after a tick bite. If the patient does not have symptoms of damage to the joints, muscles, heart and nervous system, then the doctor prescribes Tetracycline or its analogues (with the same active ingredients). This drug reduces the risk of developing complications from the central nervous system.

If there is erythema or redness on the skin, then Doxycycline is also added to the treatment regimen. This therapy helps to quickly get rid of red spots on the body. If the patient complains of muscle pain and constant weakness, he may additionally be prescribed penicillin-based antibacterial agents.

The dosage depends on the patient’s condition, as well as the form of the drug (tablets, capsules, injection solutions). It is not recommended to reduce the amount of the drug or the number of doses even after the main symptoms have begun to disappear. It is important to maintain the required concentration of antibacterial substances in the body at all times - this is the only way to get rid of the infection.

It is worth noting that in most cases such therapy lasts about 2-3 weeks. Of course, antibiotics have a negative effect on the body, in particular digestive tract. That is why, during and after treatment, patients are also recommended to take medications to protect liver cells (Essentiale) and products containing live strains of beneficial lacto- and bifidobacteria (Linex, Bifiform). In addition, the patient is required to follow a gentle diet - the diet should be as rich in vitamins as possible and include easily digestible foods.

Treatment of borreliosis with antibiotics at stage 2

It makes no sense to prescribe the above-mentioned antibacterial agents at the second or third stage, since there will be no effect from the therapy.

What to do when neglected form such a disease as borreliosis? Antibiotic treatment in adults may include the following drugs:

Doctors often replace Penicillin with a drug such as Ampicillin, which contains the same antibiotic, but in a different quantity and complete with excipients. Therapy lasts from two weeks to a month - it all depends on the degree of spread of the infection, as well as the body’s response to treatment.
If the patient has neurological disorders or arthritis, the drug Ceftriaxone (or its analogs) must be included in the treatment regimen. The dosage is determined individually. The medicine is used in the form of a solution for intravenous administration. The course of treatment lasts from 10 to 14 days.
If the patient is intolerant to the above drugs, they are replaced with Erythromycin. This medicine, by the way, can also be used at the first stage of the development of borreliosis. Therapy lasts from two weeks to a month.
Increasingly, modern doctors are using so-called new generation antibacterial drugs, which also belong to the group of antibiotics wide range impact. One of the most effective remedies for borreliosis is Sumamed. The drug copes well with the symptoms of the disease. The dosage in this case is selected individually.
One more is enough effective drug is considered "Cephobid". The product is intended for intramuscular injection, the therapy itself lasts no more than 14 days. This antibiotic affects all tissues and even body fluids. Thus, the medicine suppresses the proliferation of bacteria in all organ systems, preventing their penetration and further spread. IN modern medicine this remedy is increasingly used for treatment initial stages borreliosis.
After the main course of therapy, patients are prescribed the drug Benzathine. This remedy also penetrates body fluids and tissues, helping to destroy remaining pathogenic bacteria. This is a kind of “consolidation” of the result. In most cases, patients take this medicine within six months - according to statistics, it is in the first 6 months that relapses may develop.
Anti-tick gamma globulins are also included in the treatment regimen.

During the entire period, the patient must remain registered and undergo regular medical examinations and pass necessary tests. This way, the doctor will have the opportunity to detect the presence of complications in time and change the treatment regimen.

Treatment with folk remedies

What to do if you are diagnosed with borreliosis? Treatment with antibiotics in adults gives good results. At home, the effect of therapy can be enhanced by adjusting your diet - you should include citrus fruits, herbs, blueberries, currants, cucumbers and other foods rich in vitamins in your diet. Such food helps strengthen the immune system, and this, in turn, helps the body cope with infection and its consequences.

You can also prepare a healing decoction. To do this, pour boiling water over a teaspoon of wild strawberry leaves, then cover the container and let the liquid steep for four hours. You need to take the strained infusion two tablespoons three times a day before meals.

It is worth understanding that folk remedies can only be used as an auxiliary therapy. Herbs help relieve soreness and inflammation. But in no case should you refuse the help of a doctor if you have a disease such as borreliosis. Treatment with antibiotics in this case is necessary. Without treatment, the disease quickly progresses and leads to the development of dangerous, sometimes even fatal, consequences.

Peculiarities of treatment for children: what to pay attention to?

In fact, borreliosis (or Lyme disease) in childhood difficult to bear. The danger lies primarily in late diagnosis. The fact is that it is not always possible to tell a child that he has been bitten by a tick - young patients rarely pay attention to this. Moreover, redness on the skin can easily be confused with an allergy, and general weakness with a cold. That is why parents take their child to the doctor at a later stage.

Nevertheless, quite often in modern pediatrics they are faced with such a problem as borreliosis. Treatment with antibiotics in children is associated with some difficulties, because these are quite aggressive drugs that can harm the growing body. Medicines must be selected very carefully.

For example, Doxycycline, which is often used in the treatment of borreliosis, has age restrictions - it cannot be prescribed to children under nine years of age. Instead, the child is prescribed drugs such as Flemoxin or Amoxil.

If a child spends a lot of time in a field, forest or park, then after walks be sure to thoroughly examine the skin for the presence of ticks or traces of their bites. Constantly ask your child how he is feeling. If your baby complains of weakness, dizziness and other symptoms that accompany borreliosis, it is better to get the necessary tests. This disease It is indeed much easier to treat at the first stage of development.

Possible complications with borreliosis

Many people faced with a similar problem are interested in questions about what the treatment and consequences of borreliosis look like. Antibiotics can cure the infection. And in most cases the prognosis is good - in 90% of cases antibacterial therapy helps get rid of symptoms and prevent the development of complications.

However, the danger still exists. Many patients complain of constant weakness, lethargy, cough, and severe headaches that occur regularly. The infection sometimes causes complications in the liver (leading to the development of hepatitis), joints (patients develop arthritis) and the heart (there is a risk of myocarditis). The disease can affect the nervous system, in particular the membranes of the brain, which can lead to progressive encephalitis and meningitis.

Experts note that this infection is extremely dangerous during pregnancy. Treatment of borreliosis with antibiotics in this case is associated with some difficulties, because it is important to select the safest drugs possible. The infection can affect the fetus - there are known cases of heart defects in the child, cerebral hemorrhages and even intrauterine death. That is why a woman who has suffered from this disease must remain in a hospital until the end of pregnancy under the constant supervision of doctors. Showing regular ultrasound examinations, which help to detect danger in time (for example, disturbances in the development of the cardiovascular system).

Preventive actions

Treatment of the disease (borreliosis) with antibiotics takes a long time. And even if the patient was provided with full-fledged therapy, there is no guarantee that consequences will be avoided.

Treatment of borreliosis with antibiotics after a tick bite (within the first few days) is extremely important - this helps prevent further development of the disease. But even despite timely and correctly administered therapy, the patient must remain registered with a doctor for several months.

Lyme disease (Lyme borreliosis, tick-borne borreliosis) is a type of erythema Afzelius-Lipschutz, which is infectious disease transmitted by ixodid ticks. With this disease, damage occurs to the human skin, joints, cardiovascular and nervous systems. Infection can occur not only from a bite, but also if a person crushes an infected tick with their fingers, since the Borrelia bacterium is present in both the saliva and intestines of the insect.

Symptoms of Lyme disease vary and depend on the extent of damage to the body. Lyme disease is an infection that responds well to antibiotic treatment if detected early. The incubation period of borreliosis after a tick bite lasts up to one month, but more often it occurs in the period from five to eleven days. Then the causative agent of borreliosis begins to spread throughout the body.

Important! If you do not consult a doctor in a timely manner or with inadequate therapy, the disease becomes chronic and difficult to treat, affecting new organs and systems of the body.

Once under the skin of a person, the bacterium begins to multiply. After some time, the causative agent of Lyme disease penetrates into regional lymph nodes and there it continues to reproduce. Further, having penetrated the vessels and entered the lymph flow, the infection spreads throughout the body, penetrating into organs and systems, where it continues to reproduce. The immune system, trying to overcome the disease, begins to produce a large number of antibodies, which are still not able to cope with the infection, but can cause an autoimmune condition. In this case, the immune system begins to fight its own cells.

If the causative agent of the disease dies, it releases toxins into the body that worsen the general condition of the sick person. Although the disease is infectious, borreliosis is not transmitted from person to person. The patient is not contagious to those nearby and is not a carrier of borreliosis. Despite this, Lyme disease is treated in an inpatient infectious diseases department.

What causes Lyme disease?

Lyme borreliosis is caused by three varieties of Borrelia, which have a convoluted spiral shape and a very short length. The bacteria can naturally live in rodents, deer, cows, goats, horses and other animals. A tick, having bitten an infected animal, becomes a carrier of the disease. Often these ticks are carried by pets that are walked outside, especially when living in wooded areas.

The greatest risk of infection occurs in summer and spring, when ticks are especially active. Even if the tick did not bite a person, but insect feces got on the skin, then infection is highly likely to occur. The disease borreliosis occurs several times more often than tick-borne encephalitis. According to statistics, about sixty percent of all ticks can carry this dangerous bacterium and infect people with it.

How is Lyme disease classified?

In medicine, this disease has a broad classification. Borreliosis can be of the following forms:

acute – the disease lasts less than three months;
subacute – disease duration from three months to six months;
chronic – the disease lasts more than six months.

According to the clinical picture of acute and subacute course:

erythema appearance with damage to the central nervous system, heart and joints;
becherythema type with damage to the same systems.

In case of chronic course:

continuous illness;
relapsing disease.

The severity of the disease is classified as mild, moderate and severe. The severity of the disease depends on the prevalence of infection throughout the body and the severity of symptoms. There is also a latent form of the disease that can only be diagnosed using laboratory research, since she does not have any signs.

What are the stages of the disease?

Borreliosis has early period, which includes the first and second stages of the disease, as well as the late period of the third stage. Signs of borreliosis depend on what stage the disease is at. Initially, there is an incubation period, the first signs at the end of which may appear either on the third day or on the thirty-second. Further development Lyme disease is:

first stage - Borrelia multiplies in the primary focus and in the nearest lymph nodes;
second stage – the infection spreads throughout the body through the bloodstream;
the third stage is the chronic course of the disease, in which predominant defeat any one system.

There is no clear line between these stages; the transition from one to another stage is conditional.

What are the features of tick-borne borreliosis in children?

Parents should carefully examine the skin of their children in the spring and summer for the presence of ticks. When the tick falls off, a red spot appears at the site where it bit - erythema migrans. A little later, the bacterium penetrates through the lymph flow into the internal organs of the child, often causing paralysis and damage to the central nervous system. The first signs of the disease in children are increased excitability and nervousness.

Important! If a child develops symptoms resembling influenza or a cold in the spring or summer, it is necessary to carefully examine him, as this may indicate tick-borne borreliosis.

The incubation period in babies lasts less time than in adults. If the spot after the bite remains unnoticed, then the first symptoms of borreliosis in children appear between eight and twelve days. Initially there are:

diarrhea;
muscle weakness;
not severe hyperthermia;
mild nausea;
painful sensations in the abdomen.

Such signs may be mistaken for poisoning by poor-quality or stale food. Simultaneously with these symptoms, a red ring of erythema grows on the surface of the skin where the tick has bitten, the central part of which is much paler than the edges. A little later, the child’s lymph nodes become enlarged, muscles begin to ache, a herpetic-like rash appears, joints ache, and the facial muscles can paralyze.

When the nervous system is damaged, paresis occurs. The functioning of the heart is also disrupted - heart sounds become muffled, rhythm changes are visible on the cardiogram. Growth and sexual development are delayed. If treatment is not started at this stage, then deformation of the membranes of the brain occurs - serous meningitis. Sometimes borreliosis in children leads to disability.

What are the symptoms of Lyme disease in adults?

At an early stage, the first stage of local infection begins - the bacterium enters the human skin and spreads throughout the organs. Further, the infection accumulates mainly in one organ, causing corresponding symptoms. In some cases, the disease proceeds without changing stages, occasionally only the first stage or only a late clinical picture is observed.

In the subacute period of the disease, local symptoms occur: pain and itching at the site of the bite, hyperemia of the skin (swelling, redness, change in skin temperature). The following symptoms are also present:

general weakness;
moderate headache;
nausea;
a feeling of tightness and numbness of the skin at the site of the bite.

The general body temperature also increases; the patient’s fever can last about a week. Distinctive feature borreliosis is erythema migrans - a red papule in the center, around it there is healthy-colored skin, after which there is a bright red raised border. Such erythema can range in size from one centimeter to sixty. The severity of the disease does not depend on the size of the spot. When the bacterium spreads to other parts of the body, secondary erythemas of an even round shape (less often oval or irregular) appear.

In addition to erythema, there are other external manifestations:

hives;
rash on the skin of the face;
small rashes in spots or in the form of rings;
conjunctivitis.

Over time, the symptoms become more pronounced, but then weaken or go away completely even without treatment, but the bacterium continues to reproduce.

Important! If the symptoms of borreliosis go away, you still need to be examined. Ignoring past symptoms can lead to a chronic form of the disease.

If in the second stage the disease passes without erythema, then Clinical signs expressed in a more vivid form. Symptoms appear early, indicating that the lining of the brain has become infected, but in cerebrospinal fluid inflammation has not yet occurred. Over the course of several weeks, 15% of patients begin to feel damage to the central nervous system. There are:

myalgia;
plexalgia;
neuralgia;
amyotrophic syndrome;
neuritis of the facial nerve.

Soon it begins to show itself chronic inflammation joints:

oligoarthritis;
osteoporosis;
marginal nodes;
loss of cartilage;
osteophytosis;
subarticular sclerosis.

Late signs of central nervous system damage include:

chronic encephalomyelitis;
spastic paraparesis;
ataxia;
memory impairment;
dementia;
axonal radiculopathy.

Also symptoms of chronic borreliosis are skin manifestations, such as widespread dermatitis, scleroderma-like changes and acrodermatitis atrophica.

How is Lyme disease diagnosed?

To make a diagnosis, the doctor collects an anamnesis, although often the patient does not remember the fact of the tick bite or it was not noticed. If erythema is present, then it will not be difficult for the doctor to determine Lyme disease by its appearance. If the erythema has already passed or the patient has a non-erythematous form of the disease, then a test for borreliosis is performed, in which blood is taken and examined for the presence of borrelia bacteria in it.

Diagnosis of borreliosis also includes an indirect immunofluorescence reaction for antibodies to borrelia. A serum of dead bacteria is injected under the person's skin, after which the doctor determines whether the patient is immune to Lyme disease. PCR is mandatory, thanks to which it is possible to detect bacterial protein in tissues and synovial fluid. Once a diagnosis is made, the doctor decides how to treat Lyme disease.

How is tick-borne borreliosis treated?

For tick-borne borreliosis, treatment primarily involves taking antibacterial drugs (Doxycycline, Tetracycline, Amoxicillin).

Important! If the central nervous system, heart muscle or joints are affected, it is unacceptable to treat borreliosis with tetracycline antibiotics, as this contributes to relapse or complications after treatment. In this case, the use of Penicillin or Ceftriaxone is justified.

If Lyme borreliosis occurs together with tick-borne encephalitis, then anti-tick gamma globulin is used along with antibiotics. Also, to eliminate the symptoms of the disease, it is necessary to use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs:

Indomethacin;
Diclofenoca;
Piroxicam;
Meloxicam;
Ibuprofen;
Ketoprofen, etc.

Used to relieve pain analgesic drugs and physiotherapeutic procedures. Physiotherapy also helps with the occurrence of neuritis, arthritis, and arthralgia. For Lyme disease, drug treatment includes desensitization therapy to reduce the severity of the allergic reaction to the insect sting. Detoxification agents are needed if the disease is accompanied by severe hyperthermia and intoxication of the body.

For meningitis, dehydration agents that restore water-electrolyte balance. To normalize cardiac functionality, it is necessary to take Panangin and Asparkam. If you have autoimmune disorders, you cannot do without Delagil with NPL. Treatment of chronic borreliosis is aimed at reducing the severity of the clinical picture and prolonging remission, since bacteria that have lived in the body for years are almost impossible to completely defeat.

What complications can there be with tick-borne borreliosis?

Often the complications and consequences of borreliosis are as follows:

from the side of the brain - an inflammatory process in the membranes of the brain, damage to peripheral or cranial nerve endings;
from the cardiovascular system - the occurrence of pericarditis and endocarditis;
from the musculoskeletal system – arthritis, arthrosis.

The sooner treatment is carried out, the lower the risk of complications.

How to protect yourself from Lyme disease

There are no vaccinations against borreliosis, so everyone needs to know how you can become infected with borreliosis and how to avoid infection. You need to be especially attentive and careful during the period from May to August, since ticks are very active at this time. When in nature, you must wear a hat, as well as light-colored clothing that covers your arms and legs. Clothing should be made of smooth fabric so that the tick does not have anything to cling to.

Prevention of borreliosis also includes a careful examination of the skin and scalp after walking in the forest, mushroom hunting, and simply relaxing in nature. If a tick is detected early or the first signs are detected, the disease is very treatable. If it becomes chronic, the disease becomes practically incurable. If the central nervous system is damaged, the prognosis becomes unfavorable.