Research Paper On Lyme Disease

More than thirty thousand people become victims of Lyme disease each year. Hundreds of people are affected by Colorado tick fever annually. Eleven percent of Powassan virus victims end up dying. What could cause all of these horrible diseases? Surprisingly, it is the tiny tick that spreads these epidemics. And these are not the only tick-borne diseases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that there are fifteen known tick borne diseases in the world. Unfortunately, most of these diseases can be fatal if they are not treated. Considering this fact, we should be more concerned about preventing Lyme disease since it is more dangerous than we think. In this essay, I will explore the transmission, symptoms, and prevention of Lyme

Because it has so many different symptoms, it is extremely difficult for doctors to recognize. When a patient first gets a tick bite, they usually contract a bull’s eye rash which “starts as a small red spot that expands over a period of days or weeks, forming a circular, triangular, or oval-shaped rash” (“Lyme Disease Overview”). However, this rash, scientifically called erythema migrans, only appears in seventy to eighty percent of Lyme disease victims, making the disease even harder to diagnose. Early symptoms of Lyme disease include flu-like symptoms such as fevers and chills, joint pain, and muscle aches. After a couple months, victims of Lyme disease may develop many symptoms such as facial paralysis, poor memory, weak limbs, heart problems, and swollen joints. If Lyme disease still is not treated, patients will display severe arthritis, sleeping problems, fatigue, and heart problems. But if Lyme disease is not treated at all, it can be

We should also try our best to prevent it because there are more dangerous diseases that can spread by ticks. Right now, scientists have discovered fifteen different diseases that are caused by ticks. One of them is called Powassan virus. Symptoms of this disease include “fever, headache, vomiting, weakness, confusion, seizures, and memory loss” (“Powassan Virus”). Powassan virus is far more dangerous than Lyme disease not only because of the severe symptoms; there are no specific treatments or any cures for it. Approximately ten percent of the victims for Powassan disease eventually die. Because there are more dangerous diseases that are spread by ticks, we should be more intentional about preventing tick bites. This can be applied very practically by using insect repellant, avoiding overgrown areas, wearing light colored clothing, dressing with long-sleeved shirts and long pants outdoors, and checking for ticks after going outside. By following these steps, we can do our part to stop Lyme