The Reality Behind Lyme Disease and Lupus

Lyme disease is caused by four bacteria species, namely Borrelia burgdorferi, Borrelia afzelii, Borrelia mayonii, and Borrelia garinii, which are transmitted to humans through a bite of an infected black-legged tick or deer tick. The usual causative bacterium of this disease is Borrelia burgdorferi. On the other hand, lupus is a systemic autoimmune disease wherein the body’s immune system attacks the tissues and organs which causes inflammation. Lyme disease may be misdiagnosed as lupus for the reason that they have similar symptoms. It is vital to be able to differentiate one from the other to have the exact treatment.

Here are some facts about both Lyme disease and lupus:

Lyme disease

• In 2015, it was the sixth most common Nationally Notifiable disease in the United States.
• Approximately 30,000 cases of Lyme disease are reported each year to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by state health departments and the District of Columbia. However, this number does not reflect every case of Lyme disease that is diagnosed in the United States each year.
• Incidence was highest among children aged 5 to 14.
• Males accounted for 54% of the total reported cases.

Lupus

• According to the Lupus Foundation of America, there are 1.5 million Americans and, at least, 5 million people worldwide who suffer from lupus.
• Lupus attacks mostly women of childbearing age. Nonetheless, men, children, and teenagers may still develop lupus. People aged 15 to 44 are most likely to develop lupus.
• Those of African, Asian, and Native American descent have more of a tendency of being diagnosed with lupus than Caucasians. 
• Only 10% of people with lupus will have a close relative who already has or may develop lupus.
• More than 90% of lupus patients are women.

Similar symptoms of Lyme disease and lupus

Lyme disease and lupus can affect many organs and parts of the body. The common symptoms of both illnesses are the following:

• Fever: This is most seen at the early stage of Lyme disease. This can also be seen in lupus patients at the earliest stage, which usually occurs when the disease flares.
• Fatigue: Fatigue for Lyme disease is common throughout the early stages of the disease, and it may persist in untreated patients with chronic Lyme disease. Fatigue for lupus is typically unrelenting and profound, and it is a frequent problem for lupus patients.
• Joint Pains: Joint pains for lupus are commonly on the smaller joints of the wrists, hands, ankles, toes, and at times, the larger joints of the knees. On the contrary, the joint pains for Lyme disease commonly affect the larger joints of the knees. The joints in both Lyme disease and lupus are painful and swollen, and the arthritis of both diseases is cyclic.
• Headaches: Headaches, which occur in untreated chronic Lyme disease patients, may be associated with inflammation, central nervous system infection, or other consequences of infection. For headaches that occur in lupus patients, they may be associated with changes in the blood vessels of the head.