Lyme Disease and Co-Infections

 

 Lyme Disease

Vector(s): Ixodes scapularis, Ixodes pacificus  

Causative Agent: Borrelia burgdorferi 

Incubation Period: 3-30 days

Signs and Symptoms:

Early Symptoms : 

• Fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle and joint aches, and swollen lymph nodes
  
• Erythema migrans (EM) rash

Late Symptoms :   

• Problems with short-term memory

• Shooting pains, numbness, or tingling in the hands or feet

• Episodes of dizziness or shortness of breath, inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, nerve pain

• Heart palpitations or an irregular heart beat 

• Facial palsy (loss of muscle tone or droop on one or both sides of the face)

• Arthritis with severe joint pain and swelling

• EM rashes on other areas of the body

• Severe headaches, neck stiffness

 

Content source: Centers for Disease Control 

 

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Vector: Dog Tick

Causative Agent: Rickettsia rickettsii 

Incubation Period: 2-14 days

Signs and Symptoms: 

• fever
• chills
• severe headache
• malaise, myalgia
• gastrointestinal symptoms ( nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, abdominal tenderness),
• neurological deficits
• sudden deafness 
•    Can be fatal if not treated within the first 5 days from the start of symptoms
• Content source: Centers for Disease Control 

 

Ehrlichiosis

Vector: Lone Star Tick, Brown Dog Tick

Causative Agent: Ehrlichia chaffeensis, E. ewingii 

Incubation Period: 7-14 days

Signs and Symptoms:

• fever
• headache
• chills, cough
• malaise, myalgia
• gastrointestinal symptoms
• confusion
• rash ( more common in children)

Late Stage (if not treated) 

• Damage to the brain or nervous system (e.g. inflammation of the brain and surrounding tissue (called meningoencephalitis))
• Respiratory failure
• Uncontrolled bleeding
• Organ failure
• Death