What bacteria causes Lyme disease and syphilis?

What bacteria causes Lyme disease and syphilis?

Lyme disease is a systemic infection caused by spirochete bacteria transmitted by black-legged deer ticks. The corkscrew-shaped bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi, are similar to the spirochete bacteria that cause syphilis.

What does Lyme disease and syphilis have in common?

The bacteria that cause syphilis and Lyme Disease have something extraordinary in common: they manage to propel themselves through their environment in spite of the fact their tails are located inside their bodies. For bacteria, they’re also unusually shaped and active.

Can syphilis be mistaken for Lyme disease?

Lyme disease is a tick-borne infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, a type of corkscrew- shaped bacteria known as a spirochete (pronounced spiro’keet). The Lyme spirochete resembles the agent of syphilis, long recognized as the epitome of sexually transmitted diseases.

Is Lyme similar to syphilis?

Syphilis and Lyme Disease — which together have two of my very favorite Latin names — Treponema pallidum and Borrelia burgdorferi — belong to a group of bacteria called spirochetes that look like squiggles and move like corkscrews.

What kind of bacteria causes Lyme disease in humans?

Overview Lyme disease is caused by four main species of bacteria. Borrelia burgdorferi and Borrelia mayonii cause Lyme disease in the United States, while Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii are the leading causes in Europe and Asia.

What causes Lyme disease on the west coast?

What Causes Lyme Disease? 1 Borrelia Burgdorferi. Lyme disease is an infection caused by several strains of the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb). 2 The Blacklegged Tick. In the United States, the Western blacklegged tick, or Ixodes pacificus, is responsible for spreading Lyme disease on the West Coast. 3 Host Animals. …

How does Lyme disease spread from person to person?

Lyme disease is an infection caused by several strains of the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb). The bacteria is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected tick. In the United States, the Western blacklegged tick, or Ixodes pacificus, is responsible for spreading Lyme disease on the West Coast.

How is Borrelia mayonii related to Lyme disease?

Additional genetic testing at the Mayo Clinic and CDC found that the bacteria, provisionally named Borrelia mayonii, is closely related to B. burgdorferi.

What are the most common side effects of Lyme disease?

Bone pain. chills. cough. fever. muscle aches. runny or stuffy nose. shivering. skin rash, itching, redness, swelling, or other sign of irritation not present before vaccination.

What happens when Lyme disease is left untreated?

Consult your doctor even if signs and symptoms disappear – the absence of symptoms doesn’t mean the disease is gone. Untreated, Lyme disease can spread to other parts of your body for several months to years after infection, causing arthritis and nervous system problems .

How does Lyme disease bacteria spread through the body?

When you’re bitten by a tick carrying the bacteria that cause Lyme disease, the microbes travel through your bloodstream and can eventually spread to the heart, joints and nervous system. But exactly how these bacteria move inside human blood vessels to spread throughout the body has remained largely a mystery, until now.

How serious is Lyme disease?

Lyme disease is serious. It can lead to permanent and significant problems. Left untreated, Lyme disease can lead to cardiac and nervous system problems. Thinking abilities such as memory and concentration may be affected. Furthermore, arthritis can develop, causing pain and swelling in the joints.