Lyme-Borreliose und Lyme-Arthritis

Lyme arthritis is an entity that stands between infectious bacterial arthritis and reactive arthritis. The disease is caused by Borrelia, a species of bacteria that comprises several subspecies and belongs to the family of spirochetes. These bacteria, which are transmitted by bites of ticks of the genus ixodes, can cause acute and chronic manifestations in the skin, the nervous system and the joints. Acute Lyme arthritis is treated with antibiotics such as doxycycline, amoxicillin and ceftriaxone. Chronic Lyme arthritis after unsuccessful treatment with antibiotics is a multi-faceted, ill-characterized and much debated condition. First and foremost, this diagnosis must be assessed critically. Patients affected do not benefit from repeated cycles of antibiotic treatments.