Definition

Noun: * Lyme arthritis: An acute inflammatory disease characterized by a rash, joint swelling, and fever. It is caused by bacteria transmitted by the bite of an infected deer tick.

Usage

• Lyme arthritis is a specific manifestation of Lyme disease, where the bacterial infection leads to painful inflammation in one or more joints.
• This term is used in medical contexts to describe the arthritic symptoms resulting from Lyme disease.

Examples

• The patient's knee pain and swelling were diagnosed as Lyme arthritis.
• Early antibiotic treatment for Lyme disease can help prevent the development of Lyme arthritis.
• Lyme arthritis is one of the most common symptoms of untreated Lyme disease in North America.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used to distinguish the joint-specific complications from other systemic symptoms of Lyme disease, such as neurological or cardiac issues.
• In medical literature, it may be discussed in the context of "post-infectious arthritis" or as a type of "reactive arthritis."

Variants and Related Words

• Lyme disease (n.): The broader infectious illness caused by bacteria, of which Lyme arthritis is a potential symptom.
• Lyme borreliosis (n.): The formal medical term for Lyme disease.

Synonyms

• Lyme disease arthritis

Notes

• Lyme arthritis is not a standalone condition but a complication of Lyme disease. The term specifically refers to the joint inflammation caused by the bacterium.

Noun

1. an acute inflammatory disease characterized by a rash with joint swelling and fever; caused by bacteria carried by the bite of a deer tick