The Causative Agent Of Lyme Disease - 1617 Words

Although most people don’t realize it, one of the most weakening diseases of the world can often be found crawling around in the shrubs and tall grasses of a person’s backyard. It does not mean that only dirty yards have this disease but it is found in every North Americans backyard. The disease is called Lyme disease. Lyme disease is a fairly common disease that often goes misdiagnosed in many cases. There are many misconceptions about this disease. Causative Agent: Every disease has a causative agent. The causative agent of Lyme disease is the bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi. Borrelia burgdorferi is a spirochete that is approximately 20-30 cm in length and .2-.3 mm in width. It is not classified as either Gram-positive or Gram-negative. When B. burgdorferi is Gram-stained, the cells stain a weak Gram-negative by default, as safranin is the last dye used. Lyme disease does not only affect certain cells, tissues, organs within the host. As Lyme disease is a multi-system disease which can affect virtually every tissue and every organ of the human body. Lyme disease is a tick-borne systemic infection caused by a spiral organism, Borrelia burgdorferi, characterized by neurologic, joint, and cardiac manifestations. Lyme disease is carried by a tiny tick. It begins with a bite and a rash that can be so slight, you may not even notice. However, the consequences can be serious, sometimes fatal. Ticks can feed on mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Most ticks prefer to haveShow MoreRelatedThe Causative Bacterial Agent For Lyme Disease1002 Words   |  5 PagesBorrelia burgdorferi, the causative bacterial agent for Lyme Disease, has persisted for thousands of years. Recently, scientists have found genetic remains of the bacteria from a mummy dating back 5,300 years (National Geographic, 2011). However, Borrelia burgdorferi was not classified and identified as the putative source for Lyme Disease until the early 1980’s. After mysterious and untreatable symptoms appeared in children and adults of the city of Lyme, Connecticut, the goal for many clinicalRead MoreLyme Disease : A Common Disease1596 Words   |  7 Pagesweakening diseases of the world can often be found crawling around in the shrubs and tall grasses of one’s backyard. It does not mean that only dirty yards have this disease but, it is found in every North Americans backyard. The disease is called Lyme disease. Lyme disease is a fairly common disease that often goes misdiagnosed in many cases. There are many misunderstandings about this disease. Causative Agent: Every disease has a causative agent. The causative agent of Lyme disease is the bacteriumRead MoreTransmission of Lyme Disease569 Words   |  2 Pages Lyme disease begins with a bite from an infected tick. It is the most common tick-borne disease within the United States (Wadsworth Center, n.d.). The causative agent of Lyme disease is Borrelia burgdorferi. This pathogen is a spirochete with endoflagella, an outer membrane with LPS-like substance, an inner membrane and a periplasmic space which contains a layer of peptidoglycan (Tilly, Rosa, Stewart, 2009). As stated before, it is transmitted via a bite from an infected tick. There are two mainRead MorePre Medical Science Cs #13670 Words   |  3 Pagesanother blood sample. She says there is no need to culture the wound. 1. On the basis of the limited information above, the physician has obviously made a diagnosis. What is it? What does the causative organism look like when gram stained? 2. What is the most likely reservoir for the causative organism in this case? 3. Why draw blood twice? 4. Why not culture the wound to look for the bacterium? 5. What are four other common infections that humans acquire from animals? 1.Read MoreThe Microbiology Of Lyme Disease2421 Words   |  10 Pagesyou think of when you hear Lyme disease? 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The AA website states that Alzheimer’s is the 6th leading cause of death in our country with 1 in 3 seniors dying from Alzheimer’s or other types of dementia. Because this disease effects so many people and because its symptoms are so devastating, scientists are continually searching for the cause of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in attempt to find treatment or a cure. Some scientistsRead MorePrevention Strategies of Communicable Diseases2781 Words   |  12 PagesStrategies of Communicable diseases Methods of Control Communicable diseases occur only when the causative agent comes into contact with a susceptible host in a suitable environment. Prevention and control efforts for communicable diseases may be directed to any of these three elements. Communicable diseases affect both individuals and communities, so control efforts may be directed at both. Treatment of persons with communicable diseases with antibiotics typically kills the agent and renders them noninfectious