Lyme disease and leukocytes in a tick bite?
Ticks are among the blood-sucking insects that tear a wound in the skin of their hosts. Blood collects in the injury, which the parasites suck in through a snout. In English, these types of pests are called pool feeders. While eating, the tick spits out indigestible residues into the wound. This is how bacteria and viruses get into the bloodstream of those affected.
When the pathogens penetrate, the organism produces more antibodies. According to this, there are increased leukocytes in the event of a tick bite. If there are Borrelia inside the ectoparasite, the patient may become infected with Lyme disease. The resulting symptoms primarily affect the nervous system.
Elevated leukocytes in Lyme disease – the summary
Ticks lurk mainly on grass and bushes. When animals and people pass them, the parasites cling to fur and clothing. They look for a suitable puncture site in their host’s skin and bite into the top layer of skin with their clawed jaws. An endogenous anesthetic prevents the affected person from feeling pain. As a result, they often only notice the tick after it has “docked”.
The longer the animal sucks blood, the higher the probability that Borrelia will get into the human bloodstream. The increased leukocytes in a tick bite result from the penetration of the pathogen. Just like bacteria, they get into the wound and spread in the bloodstream. Accordingly, a tick bite may result in dangerous secondary diseases.
How does the body react to the tick bite?
Ticks are ectoparasites that feed on the blood of their hosts. The animals prefer to bite into thin layers of skin that are well supplied with blood. The researcher Dr. Anya Reichert. The nationwide study was carried out on behalf of Baxter Deutschland GmbH. If the tick pierces the skin with its hypostome – the sting – foreign bodies penetrate the body of the affected person. These include, for example, viruses, bacteria and dirt particles. The body’s defenses are activated by the antigens. This means there is an increased production of white blood cells .
The increased leukocytes in a tick bite turn out to be a normal reaction of the organism. In many cases, the bite of the parasite does not pose any danger. However, there is a possibility that Borrelia are in the body of the pest. The Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato virus belongs to the spirochete genus. He infects patients with Lyme disease. The pathogens are distributed in the human bloodstream eight to twelve hours after the tick bite. They spread locally and systemically. This behavior is confirmed by Dr. medical Sam T. Donta in the Donta Study Late and Chronic Lyme Disease.
Together with its saliva, the tick administers an anti-inflammatory secretion to its host. This prevents the body’s own immune system at the bite site. Therefore, the human organism does not destroy the Borrelia immediately after penetration. In Germany, the risk of contracting Lyme disease is 0.3 to 1.4 percent. The value comes from the RKI guide for doctors . The ticks that carry the virus do not live exclusively in forests. Even in gardens there is a high probability of getting a tick bite.
A press release from the Robert Koch Institute from 2001 evaluates a study in the Brandenburg district. The scientists confirm that direct contact with bushes is a risk factor for Lyme disease infection. If the virus penetrates the human organism, the antibodies activate. Here, the white blood cells rise above their normal value, which is 4,000 to 10,000 per microliter of blood. The increased leukocytes in Lyme disease are considered an indication of the viral infection.
How does the doctor recognize Lyme disease?
Lyme disease is a multisystemic infectious disease. This means that the infection can affect any organ. However, the pathogens mainly attack the nervous system, the tissue and the joints. They only spread in the organism several hours after the tick bite. Therefore, there is a need to remove the parasite from the skin at an early stage. This is done with pointed tweezers or a sterile needle. It is important not to squeeze the tick. During the process, the animal throws up and the Borrelia enters the host’s blood.
The increased leukocytes in Lyme disease are considered a symptomatic phenomenon after infection. In this way, the body’s own immune system tries to track down and destroy the pathogens. However, antiviral drugs are part of Lyme disease therapy to support the work of the white blood cells. Without timely treatment, the acute illness may develop into chronic Lyme disease. In the acute form of the disease, three stages are distinguished:
- local infection,
- spread
- and chronic infection.
Patients notice the local infection by a red ring that forms around the tick bite. The symptom is called redness, and the irritation can disappear after a few days. However, if the ring fades, it does not mean that the disease is cured. In the course of a blood test, the doctors detect increased leukocytes in a tick bite. If the patients do not know anything about the parasite infestation, the doctors diagnose it based on the blood values .
Lyme flu follows ten days to two weeks after the tick bite. Those affected feel general signs of illness such as fever, fatigue and joint pain. Cough and runny nose stay away. Nevertheless, the white blood cells multiply during the special form of the flu.
Already in the first stage of Lyme disease there are increased leukocytes. Four weeks after the bite, the pathogens spread throughout the body. During this period, the characteristics of the disease worsen. For example, those affected suffer from:
- painful neuralgia in the face,
- strong fever,
- sweats,
- inflammation of the joints,
- an impairment of the sense of touch and vision,
- high blood pressure
- and tachycardia.
The increased leukocytes in Lyme disease remain in the stage. However, the organism does not maintain the overproduction over a longer period of time. For this reason, there are fluctuations in the blood values. If there is no timely therapy, the local infection develops into its chronic form.
That is, the disease breaks out repeatedly at different intervals. The signs are steadily worsening. Since there is no vaccine against Borrelia, early drug treatment is very important.
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