OspA L03 Group2: Difference between revisions
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=== Spirochetes and Lyme Disease === | === Spirochetes and Lyme Disease === | ||
First recognized in 1957, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyme_disease Lyme disease] has been estimated to affect between 20 and 100 cases per 100,000 individuals in the United States (Rupprecht, 2008). The peak infection rates occur approximately between the months of May and August | First recognized in 1957, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyme_disease Lyme disease] has been estimated to affect between 20 and 100 cases per 100,000 individuals in the United States (Rupprecht, 2008). The peak infection rates of this disease occur approximately between the months of May and August in North America (Onrust, 2000). The causative agent for this disease is a bacterial vector of [http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/bacteria/spirochetes.html spirochetes], called [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borrelia_burgdorferi Borrelia burgdorferi], which were found in the gut of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ixodes Ixodes] tick (Burgdorfer, 1982). The bacteria spread through the bite of the tick forming severe skin lesions. Other health complications include chronic [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthritis arthritis], and neurologic and cardiac abnormalities (Burgdorferi, 1982). From 10-12 weeks of infestation, other symptoms like [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erythema_chronicum_migrans erythema chronicum migrans] begin to appear as well(Burgdorferi, 1982). Studies were first conducted through New Zealand white rabbits (Burgdorferi, 1982) through the use of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immunofluorescence indirect immunofluorescence]. | ||
These spirochetes however do not enter the host through salivary secretions into the blood stream. The host becomes infected because the tick's blood meal enters the gut where this bacteria is located, and then some blood that does come back out into the bitten area is infected with this bacteria, resulting in the transmission into the host's blood stream (Onrust, 2000). | These spirochetes however do not enter the host through salivary secretions into the blood stream. The host becomes infected because the tick's blood meal enters the gut where this bacteria is located, and then some blood that does come back out into the bitten area is infected with this bacteria, resulting in the transmission into the host's blood stream (Onrust, 2000). | ||