Lyme Disease: A Review of Evidence-Based Practices in Diagnosis Treatment and Prevention

Lyme borreliosis (LB) is a multifaceted inflammatory illness that is increasingly encroaching on areas with higher altitudes and latitudes. This disease predominantly occurs in temperate regions, with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) documenting over 30,000 cases annually. Lyme disease can be found in diverse locales across North America, Europe, the Middle East, Australia, Southeast Asia, and certain regions of the former Soviet Union, depending on the habitat of Ixodes ticks. It is caused by several species within the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (sl.) complex, which thrive in complex networks involving ixodid ticks and various hosts. The pathogens, identified within the genus Borrelia, are transmitted via bites from Ixodes Ricinus ticks. Ticks undergo three developmental stages: larva, nymph, and adult, with each stage lasting between one to two years. Adult ticks have a capacity to harbor the infection at a rate that is twice that of nymphs, with transmission needing 36 to 48 hours for nymphs and 48 to 72 hours for adults. Clinically, Lyme disease is typically characterized by a distinct lesion known as erythema migrans, which manifests as a homogeneous, reddish, ring-like rash.