Lyme disease - primary
Alternative names:
Lyme borreliosis; stage 1 Lyme disease; early localized
Lyme infection
Treatment:
The objective of treatment is to eliminate the infection
by antibiotic therapy,
and prevent secondary or tertiary infection. Medications include
tetracycline, cefuroxime,
or amoxicillin in children.
Note: oral tetracycline is usually not prescribed for children
until after all the permanent teeth have erupted; it can permanently
discolor teeth that are still forming.
Expectations (prognosis):
The signs and symptoms resolve in 3 to 4 weeks, even without
treatment; however, the secondary or tertiary form of the
disease may develop if the initial infection is not treated.
Neurologic or cardiac symptoms may develop in the second stage
of the disease, followed by arthritis
in the third stage of the disease.
Complications:
Calling your health care provider:
Call for an appointment with your health care provider if
you exhibit symptoms of Lyme
disease, particularly if you could have been exposed to
ticks.
Call your health care provider if sensory or muscular weakness,
numbness or tingling,
or heart irregularities develop.
Update Date: 02/09/00
Updated by: J. Gordon Lambert, MD, Associate Medical Director,
Utah Health Informatics and adam.com
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