title: Infection and musculoskeletal conditions: Lyme borreliosis.
abstract: Lyme borreliosis is a tick-borne infectious disease caused by the spirochaetes Borrelia burgdorferi, B. garinii and B. afzelii. It comprises a wide spectrum of symptoms affecting skin, musculoskeletal system, heart, eyes, central and peripheral nervous system. The diagnosis is based on clinical findings in combination with detection of specific IgM and/or IgG antibodies. Diagnostic problems arise from patients with non-specific symptoms and positive IgG antibody detection. Adequate antibiotic therapy cures more than 90% of the patients. However, in some patients repeated therapy is necessary and a small number of patients develop chronic arthritis or other features. While there is currently no vaccine available, prevention of tick bite is the most effective prophylaxis.
authors.affiliation: Rheumaklinik Ostbayern, Bad Fuessing, Germany.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schnarr
authors.forename: Juliane K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Franz
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krause
authors.forename: Henning
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zeidler
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D025065:Borrelia burgdorferi / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015787:Erythema Chronicum Migrans / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D018884:Ixodes / Q000382:microbiology; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012698:Serologic Tests / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004318:Doxycycline