Edlow J A
Division of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
Ann Emerg Med. 1999 Jun;33(6):680-93.
Our knowledge of Lyme disease, currently the most common vector-borne illness in North America, has expanded over the past decade. The causative spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, is transmitted by the bite of an infected Ixodes tick. Infection usually results in erythema migrans and can spread hematogenously to skin, heart, nervous system, joints, and other organs. Prompt recognition and treatment with antibiotics usually leads to rapid improvement and markedly reduces subsequent manifestation. Unrecognized and untreated Lyme disease can cause late arthritic and neurologic syndromes that are more difficult to treat and that may not respond to antibiotics. Other tick-borne illnesses can be fatal if not treated.
莱姆病是目前北美最常见的媒介传播疾病，在过去十年中，我们对它的了解不断深入。致病螺旋体伯氏疏螺旋体通过感染的硬蜱叮咬传播。感染通常会导致游走性红斑，并可通过血液扩散至皮肤、心脏、神经系统、关节和其他器官。及时识别并用抗生素治疗通常会带来快速改善，并显著减少后续症状。未被识别和未治疗的莱姆病可导致后期关节炎和神经综合征，这些综合征更难治疗，且可能对抗生素无反应。其他蜱传疾病若不治疗可能会致命。
