I. A 42 year old woman visited her doctor complaining of pain and swelling in he
ID: 201832 • Letter: I
Question
I. A 42 year old woman visited her doctor complaining of pain and swelling in her shoulder, elbow and knee. Several areas of non-itching rash were also evident on the patient’s torso. The woman was a wild life biologist and was consulting the doctor because the pain was interfering with her job tracking Eastern Box Turtles in deciduous forests in the Baltimore area. Approximately two months earlier, the patient had developed a large (12 inch) “bull’s eye rash” on her ankle, and had experienced fever, chills, muscle aches and other flulike symptoms which eased after approximately 5 days. Blood was drawn and tested positive for spirochetal antibodies.
1. What is your diagnosis?
2. What microorganism causes this disease?
3. How is this disease transmitted?
4. How is the disease treated?
5. What symptoms might the patient develop if the disease is not treated?
6. What is her prognosis with treatment?
Explanation / Answer
1. Diagnosis would be ELISA.
2. Microorganism that causes the disease is Borrelia burgdorferi.
3. This disease is transmitted through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks.
4. Antibiotic treatment.
5. Joint pain, severe headache, heart palpitations, loss of ability to move one or both sides of the face.