VBA - Borellia burgdorferi (Lyme disease)

Question 1

Morphology

Answer 1

Spirochete
Flagella
highly motile

Question 2

Classification/Diagnosis

Answer 2

test by ELISA, Western Blot

PCR for joint inflammation patients

Question 3

Pathology

Answer 3

Extracellular pathogen
During tick blood meal migrates to tick salivary glands through OspC, infects human, migrates through tissues, adheres to host cells, Salp15 helps evade host Ig’s

Question 4

Epidemiology

Answer 4

Vector is black legged tick (Ixodes), reservoirs are rodents (white-footed mouse), lizards
Found mostly in NE, mid-atlantic, north-central states, NW california
people who work/enjoy outdoors are at risk
Most cases in the summer

Question 5

Diseases/Symptoms

Answer 5

Bull’s eye rash (erythema migrans), then early disseminated lyme disease (secondary rashes, facial palsy, muscle aches, headaches, fever, fatigue), then late disseminated lyme disease (joint swelling, ataxia, memory loss, mood changes, sleep disturbances)

Question 6

Treatment/Vaccines

Answer 6

Doxycycline
Amoxicillin for early disease
IV antibiotic for late disease