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CCBY-NCSA_V3.0_US, Open Access
Thesis
Challenges to the Accurate and Appropriate Diagnosis of Lyme Disease
Washington State University
Master of Nursing (MN), Washington State University
05/2011
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/3105
Abstract
Purposes: The purposes of this review are to highlight the prevalence and pathology of Lyme Disease in the United States, to explore the challenges presented to clinicians in appropriately diagnosing Lyme Disease, and to examine the most accurate and efficient methods of approaching the diagnosis of Lyme Disease. Data Sources: This literature review was compiled by reviewing scientific literature regarding Lyme Disease, transmission, disease pathology, diagnostic recommendations, and both quantitative and qualitative studies. Conclusions: Lyme Disease is the most common vector-borne illness in the United States, infecting nearly 40,000 individuals and costing approximately $500 million per year. Most often manifested by the classic erythema migrans rash, disseminated infection occurs in up to 60% of untreated patients, leading to articular, neurologic, and cardiac complications. Diagnostic CDC recommendations include either a distinguishable erythema migrans, or at least one disseminated manifestation in addition to two-part laboratory confirmation. Inconsistent diagnostic practices, concurrent infections, unreliable laboratory tests, and difficult, nonspecific illness presentation all contribute to the diagnostic challenge. Implications for Practice: Education for health care providers, development of consistent diagnostic criteria, further research and development of more accurate laboratory tests, and public prevention education are imperative in the approach to this challenging diagnosis.
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Details
- Title
- Challenges to the Accurate and Appropriate Diagnosis of Lyme Disease
- Creators
- Jennifer Smith
- Contributors
- Lorna Schumann (Advisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Research Projects, College of Nursing
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Nursing (MN), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University; Spokane, Washington
- Identifiers
- 99900590528301842
- Copyright
- http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/us; Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US)
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis