Facts To Know About Lyme Disease

The Lyme disease was named in 1977 when arthritis was observed in a cluster of children in and around Old Lyme, Connecticut. Other clinical symptoms and environmental conditions suggested that this was an infectious disease probably transmitted by an arthropod. Further investigation revealed that Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi. This bacterium is transmitted to humans by the bite of infected deer ticks and cause more than 16,000 infections in the United States each year.

Our understanding of Lyme disease relies primarily on clinical observations. The diagnosis is typically made with clinical criteria, and the effectiveness of antibiotic therapy is determined by clinical end points.

How is Lyme disease spread

Not all deer ticks are infected with the bacteria that cause Lyme disease. Ticks become infected if they feed on small animals that are infected. The disease is spread when a tick infected with the bacteria bites a person and stays attached for at least 24 hours. Lyme disease cannot be spread from one person to another but an individual can become infected multiple times during his or her lifetime. Humans risk exposure when they spend time outdoors in tick-infested areas (such as wooded, brushy, or grassy places).

Lyme disease can be treated -- see your doctor if you think you have Lyme disease

Lyme disease is usually treated with antibiotics based on a person's illness and a history of a tick bite or tick exposure. Early treatment will prevent later complications. Antibiotics can also be used to treat later stages of Lyme.

What are the symptoms of Lyme disease?

Early symptoms may develop within a week to a few months of the tick bite. In about half of the cases, a large, reddish rash about two inches in diameter appears and expands around or near the site of the bite. Sometimes multiple rash sites appear. Other symptoms such as fever, headache, fatigue, stiff neck, muscle, and/or joint pain may develop. If left untreated, within a few weeks to months, complications such as meningitis, facial palsy, or heart abnormalities may occur. Symptoms may develop later on in people who did not have early symptoms or did not recognize them. Swelling and pain in the large joints may recur over many years.

What can be done to prevent the spread of Lyme disease?

Check yourself after every two to three hours of outdoor activity for ticks attached to clothing or skin.

Special precautions to prevent exposure to ticks should be taken such as wearing light-colored clothing and tucking pants into socks and shirts into pants. Repellents containing DEET applied to skin or clothing may prevent tick attachment. Permethrin, a product capable of killing ticks, can be sprayed onto clothing; make sure to follow label instructions carefully. Use repellents sparingly and with care, as they may cause adverse reactions in some individuals. Avoid application to damaged or exposed skin, and avoid prolonged or excessive applications, especially in children. The control of rodents around the home may also be helpful.

What to do if a tick attaches to your skin.

It is important that a tick be removed as soon as it is discovered. If removal occurs within twenty-four hours of attachment, the risk of tick-borne infection is substantially reduced. To remove an attached tick, grasp the tick's mouthparts with tweezers or forceps as close as possible to the attachment (skin) site, and pull upward and out with a firm and steady pressure. If tweezers are not available, use fingers shielded with tissue paper or rubber gloves. Remember; do not handle with bare hands. Be careful not to squeeze, crush, or puncture the body of the tick, which may contain infectious fluids. After removing the tick, thoroughly disinfect the bite site and wash your hands. See or call a doctor if there is concern about incomplete tick removal or if your child develops any symptoms of Lyme disease. Do not attempt to remove ticks by using petroleum jelly, lit cigarettes, or other home remedies because these methods may actually increase the chance of contracting a tick-borne disease.

For more information on Lyme Disease please visit:
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
The American Lyme Disease Foundation, Inc.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

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