Lyme Disease
Why It's Spreading, How It Makes You Sick, and What to Do about It
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
About this book
A world-renowned Lyme disease expert explains everything you need to know if you live, work, or play in areas with the ticks that carry disease.
Once restricted to small forested areas in the northeast and north-central United States, Lyme disease is now a common infection in North America and Europe. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that more than 300, 000 new cases occur each year in the United States. Misunderstandings over symptoms and treatment increase the public's concerns about the diseaseāwhich, if not properly treated, can become chronic and debilitating.
An expert on tick-borne diseases, Alan G. Barbour explains the course of illness that results from infection, diagnosis and treatment options, and steps that can be taken to avoid a tick bite in the first place. The ticks that transmit Lyme disease may also transmit other disease-causing pathogens, and these other infections are considered as well.
Drawing on real case histories of individuals with Lyme diseaseāor illnesses that may be mistaken for Lyme diseaseāBarbour explains:
The biology of the spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, that causes Lyme disease
The role of animals such as mice that carry the infection
The life cycle of the ticks that transmit the infection
The importance of deer in perpetuating the cycle
The basics of diagnostic laboratory tests and how test results are interpreted
How antibiotics are used in treating Lyme disease
Infected ticks are abundant in the woods, in walking trails, and in the shrubs and tall grass where suburban lawns meet wooded areas. Barbour stresses preventing disease through community-wide ecology projects and individual and household protection. While it may be difficult to escape infection, understanding the danger, the symptoms, and the treatment goes a long way toward preventing long-term health consequences.
Featuring a list of reliable web sites and a glossary of terms, Lyme Disease is an invaluable resource for everyone who is at risk of the disease or is involved in preventing and treating it.
Frequently asked questions
- Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
- Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.4M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Information
Table of contents
- Cover Page
- Advance Praise for Lyme Disease, second edition
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Contents
- Preface
- Introduction. Three Case Histories and a Parable
- 1. Early Infection and the Immune Response
- 2. Late Infection and Its Complications
- 3. The Pathogen, Its Vector, and Its Reservoirs
- 4. The Ecology of Lyme Disease
- 5. Approach to Diagnosis
- 6. Laboratory Tests: The Basics
- 7. Putting Laboratory Testing in Its Place
- 8. Antibiotics and Lyme Disease: The Basics
- 9. Putting Antibiotics to Use
- 10. After Antibiotic Therapy Ends
- 11. Deer Ticks Transmit Other Diseases
- 12. Preventing Lyme Disease: Community-Wide Measures
- 13. Preventing Lyme Disease: Personal and Household Protection
- Trusted Internet Sites
- Notes
- Glossary
- Index