[at-l] Lyme bites

[WHHAWKINS@aol.com (WHHAWKINS@aol.com)]

In a message dated 8/5/2001 7:42:42 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
Cosmo.A.Catalano@williams.edu writes:



> Is there a test for Lyme infection?  I have this bite on my calf that 
> now has a center scab (I scratched it w/o looking) and a surrounding 
> red area about the size of a silver dollar.  No distinct "target" 
> .

The following should answer your question.

Wildbill

Diagnosis

Lyme disease is often difficult to diagnose because its symptoms and signs 
mimic those of many other diseases. The fever, muscle aches, and fatigue of 
Lyme disease can easily be mistaken for viral infections, such as influenza 
or infectious mononucleosis. Joint pain can be mistaken for other types of 
arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, and neurologic signs can mimic those 
caused by other conditions, such as multiple sclerosis. At the same time, 
other types of arthritis or neurologic diseases can be misdiagnosed as Lyme 
disease. Diagnosis of Lyme disease should take into account 
History of possible exposure to ticks, especially in areas where Lyme disease 
is known to occur. 
Symptoms and signs. 
The results of blood tests used to determine whether the patient has 
antibodies to Lyme disease bacteria. These tests are most useful in later 
stages of illness, but even then they may give inaccurate results. Laboratory 
tests for Lyme disease have not yet been standardized nationally. 

MORE INFO:
 <A HREF="http://aepo-xdv-www.epo.cdc.gov/wonder/prevguid/p0000380/p0000380.asp";>Lyme Disease</A> 

 <A HREF="http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/lyme/index.htm";>CDC Lyme Disease Home Page - CDC Division of Vector-Borne Infectious 
Diseases (DVBID)</A> 


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