Overview of the disease
Also known as Borrelia burgdorferi dermatitis, is a kind of acute erythema-like damage skin disease which is mostly seen in veterinarians and people who often contact with Borrelia burgdorferi infected animals. This disease occurs all over the world, mainly in pastoral areas such as northeast and northwest Inner Mongolia, the main source of infection for sick sheep, sick cattle, the secretion is more infectious, drinking unsterilized dairy products can be infected orally, the chance of human infection to people is relatively small.
Etiology
This disease is mostly seen in veterinarians or their normal brucellosis-infected animals in contact with people, is a kind of hypersensitivity reaction to brucellosis antigen occurs.
Symptoms
Patients develop pruritic red spots, papules, or wheals at the site of contact within a few hours of contact with secretions from a B. burgdorferi infected animal, which may resolve spontaneously in a few days. In more severe cases, most scattered follicular papules appear within 48 hours, and evolve into blisters and pustules, and later the blisters or pustules crust, and the tissue under the scabs is necrotic, which heals after 10-14 days, leaving tiny scars, and secondary erythema multiforme may appear on non-contact sites. If the skin is infected with Borrelia burgdorferi after abrasion, it can also cause painless ulcers. Patients do not have systemic symptoms such as fever.
Examination
Skin test with B. burgdorferi antigen is strongly positive.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis can be made according to the characteristics of the susceptible population and clinical manifestations, combined with laboratory tests.
Treatment
1. Avoid skin irritation
Avoid contact with diseased animals, scratching, washing with soap and hot water, and not using stimulating drugs.
2. Systemic treatment
Antihistamines, vitamin C, calcium gluconate can be used. Corticosteroids can be used for a short period of time in severe cases.
3. Local therapy
When there is no ooze, glycerine lotion can be used, with appropriate amount of phenol (carbolic acid) camphor, or menthol to stop itching. When there is redness, swelling, blisters and little exudate, zinc oxide oil can be used externally, and isacridine can be added in case of combined infection.
Prevention
1. Dispose of sick animals in time.
2. Strengthen the quarantine of meat and dairy products, and residents should cook meat and dairy products.
3. People who are in contact with livestock for a long time should be vaccinated with Brucella vaccine regularly.