A Lyme disease patient in India presents with characteristic expanding skin rash, migratory joint pain, and cardiac arrhythmia. The vector responsible for transmission is:
- A Ornithodoros species (soft tick)
- B Rhipicephalus sanguineus (brown dog tick)
- C Ixodes ricinus (hard tick) ✓
- D Dermacentor andersoni (wood tick)
Explanation
Lyme disease is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi and transmitted by hard ticks of the Ixodes complex: Ixodes scapularis (black-legged tick, USA), Ixodes pacificus (USA west), and Ixodes ricinus (Europe, including parts of Asia). The classic triad includes erythema chronicum migrans, arthritis, and cardiac (AV block) and neurological manifestations. Ornithodoros species are soft ticks transmitting relapsing fever (Borrelia recurrentis). Rhipicephalus sanguineus transmits Rocky Mountain spotted fever and babesiosis in some regions. Dermacentor andersoni transmits Rocky Mountain spotted fever in North America.
Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.