Lyme disease has been shown to be caused by a bacteria species found in the black-legged ticks or what is commonly known as the deer tick through a bite ( Rawls, 2017) . Studies indicate that the length of time that an individual has been exposed to the black-legged tick bite influences infection thus necessitating precautions while visiting or living in areas infected with black-legged ticks.
Lyme disease stands as the leading vector-borne disease in America creating the need to have a vaccine for the prevention of the disease. It is worth noting that there indeed existed two vaccines for the disease that are no longer used. The vaccine had efficacy concerns noting that a certain percentage of individuals vaccinated against the disease still contracted it since the vaccine did not protect the population from all strains of Lyme disease (Rawls, 2017) . More fears were raised by the fact that three vaccines had to be given in a year to achieve higher efficacy causing uncertainty of whether there would be a need for boosters to downplay persistent effects. Safety concerns for the vaccine lead to lawsuits and lobbies to end the vaccine resulting in the manufacturer withdrawing its production.
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Despite the existence of laboratory tests for Lyme disease, research shows that lab testing is not definitive. First, according to Rawls (2017), the tests which measure the presence of antibodies formed upon infection with Lyme disease are indirect noting they do not test the infection itself. Moreover, the production of the antibodies can take considerably longer time to be detected by the lab tests.
In numerous cases following an antibiotics treatment of Lyme disease, the symptoms persist in developing chronic Lyme disease. Usually, patients experiencing chronic Lyme disease can be treated to another round of antibiotics. However, studies show that there may not be a significant difference between patients given a second round of antibiotics thus making other therapies necessary to treat persistent symptoms such as fatigue and joint aches.
References
Rawls, W. (2017). Unlocking Lyme: Myths, Truths, and Practical Solutions for Chronic Lyme Disease . Firstdonoharm Publishing.
