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Treatment of Lyme disease (lime-borreliosis)
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Treatment of Lyme disease is based on the use of antibacterial drugs, the dose and duration of reception of which are determined by the stage and form of the disease. The timely treatment starts contributing to a rapid recovery and prevents the process from becoming chronous.
In cases of mixed infection (lime-borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis), along with antibiotics, immunoglobulin is used against tick-borne encephalitis at calculated doses.
The detoxification treatment of Lyme disease is carried out according to general principles. According to individual indications, use vascular drugs, antioxidants.
During the rehabilitation period, hyperbaric oxygenation, exercise therapy, and massage are performed. Sanatorium treatment is indicated to patients in the stage of remission in chronic course with lesion of the osteoarticular and nervous system.
Diet and diet
The mode of activity of the patient is determined by the severity of the course of Lyme disease: the ward regime - with a mild, moderate disease course; bed rest - with severe current, myocarditis, heart rhythm disturbances, meningoencephalitis, polyarthritis.
A special diet for patients is not required (table number 15).
[Approximate terms of incapacity for work
Acute course, the stage of an early localized infection is 7-10 days. Acute course, the stage of early disseminated infection - 15-30 days.
Clinical examination
Clinical follow-up in a polyclinic is performed by a general practitioner or infectious disease doctor for 2 years. In case of a transferred mixed infection with tick-borne encephalitis, the period of dispensary follow-up is increased to 3 years.
When examining patients, special attention is paid to the condition of the skin, osteoarticular, cardiovascular and nervous system. In the absence of complaints and falling titres of antibodies to B. Burgdorferi patients are removed from dispensary records.
Memo for the patient
Infection with Lyme disease occurs only when bitten by an infected tick. All people are susceptible to tick-borne borreliosis, regardless of age and sex. The incubation period is 10-14 days. The course of the disease is diverse. At the first stage of the disease, lasting up to one month, may be malaise, fever, muscle pain. The main symptom is reddening of the skin at the site of the tick bite, gradually increasing in size and reaching 60 cm in diameter. The second stage (1-6 months) is characterized by the development of neurological and cardiovascular complications. At a late stage of the disease (more than 6 months) articular, skin and other inflammatory processes develop. The main means of treating the disease at all stages is antibiotics.
How to prevent Lyme disease?
Specific prevention of Lyme disease is not developed. Measures to prevent infection:
- acaricidal treatment of forest park areas, places for mass recreation of people, local treatment of the most visited forest areas;
- wearing protective clothing when walking in the forest;
- individual use of repellents;
- self-examination and mutual examination after visiting the forest;
- immediate removal of the detected tick and treatment of the bite site with iodine tincture;
- the tick for Borrelia and tick-borne encephalitis virus in the laboratory;
- call for a doctor if the first signs of the disease are found (fever, redness of the skin at the site of the bite).
For emergency prevention of Lyme disease antibiotics of various groups are used: doxycycline, bicillin-3, amoxicillin, amoxicillin trihydrate + clavulanic acid.
What is the prognosis of Lyme disease?
Lyme disease has a favorable prognosis Late onset or inadequate treatment of Lyme disease leads to progression, chronic course and often leads to disability.