Lyme disease is a serious disease spread by ticks. It starts as a rash or sometimes, a sore. If not treated, it can lead to more serious problems that may include the skin, joints, nervous system, and heart. Symptoms can last for weeks or, if untreated, for years.
The disease was first described in a group of children from Old Lyme, Connecticut, in the 1970s.
What Causes Lyme Disease?
The cause of the disease is a type of bacteria called a spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi.Do All Ticks Transmit Lyme Disease?
No. In the U.S., the discease carrying ticks are the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, and the western-blacklegged tick, Ixodes pacificus, also called the deer tick. In Europe, the tick species that spreads Lyme disease is Ixodes ricinus and in Asia, Ixodes persulcatus. This CDC document shows the difference between a black-legged tick, a lone star tick and a dog tick.Where Does Lyme Disease Occur?
Lyme disease has been found in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Japan, China and countries in the former Soviet Union.How Is It Transmitted?
Ticks spread the bacterium when they attach to the body for more than 24 to 48 hours. Pregnant women may be able to pass Lyme disease to the fetus.You Can't Get Lyme Disease from:
- eating deer or squirrel meat
- someone with Lyme disease, so you cannot get Lyme disease from touching, kissing or having sex with someone with Lyme disease.
- pets and livestock such as dogs, cats, cows and horses.
- the air, water or food.
- the bite of other insects such as mosquitoes, flies, fleas or lice.
What Are the Symptoms of Lyme Disease?
Symptoms can vary, but up to a month after getting a tick bite, initial symptoms of Lyme disease may be:- A circular rash around the tick bite that doctors call an erythema migrans or EM. Note: EM rashes will vary in intensity and size.
- Feeling ill and tired
- Fever
- Headache
- Stiff neck
- Numbness in some parts of body
- Achy joints, especially in large joints like the knees
- Swollen lymph glands
Also see the complete list of early- and late-stage symptoms of Lyme disease.
How Is Lyme Disease Diagnosed?
According to the CDC, if a suspicious rash is present and there is a high probability that a black-legged tick has bitten you, laboratory tests are not usually recommended.
What Should I Do when I See a Tick on My Body?
Remove the tick carefully with a pair of fine-tipped tweezers, removing the mouth parts without squishing the tick. Wash the bite with soap and water. Some states have tick-testing services where you can take your tick to be identified and tested for the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. See how to remove a tick.How Is Lyme Disease Treated?
Early-stage Lyme disease is treated successfully with antibiotics. Like all diseases, early treatment can limit the chances of complications later. Adults, pregnant women and children alike will likely be prescribed a two-week course of antibiotics. If the rash has spread to other parts of the body, your doctor may prescribe a three- to four-week course of antibiotics.
Is There a Vaccine against Lyme Disease?
There was a vaccine against Lyme disease, but the manufacturer discontinued production since there was such low demand for the vaccine. The CDC states that people vaccinated before 2002 are probably not immune from getting Lyme disease now since the vaccine does not provide long-term protection against the disease.How Can Lyme Disease Be Prevented?
Avoid ticks by:- Avoiding brushy and forested areas in the late spring and summer.
- Wearing insect repellent.
- Wearing proper clothing and footwear.
- Removing ticks promptly.
- Keeping your home and the area around your home free of ticks.
- Taking antibiotics after tick bites if your doctor recommends it.
What are the Risks for Pregnant and Nursing Women?
Pregnant women can pass Lyme disease through the placenta to the fetus causing stillborn birth. The good news is that if pregnant women are treated with antibiotics, no adverse affects from Lyme disease are transmitted to the baby. Also, there have been no reports of Lyme disease being transmitted through breast milk.Can Animals Get Lyme Disease?
Yes. Dogs, cattle and horses can get Lyme disease and can have the same symptoms seen in humans. Deer and other animals serve as hosts for ticks in different stages of their insect lives. Rodents serve as hosts for both ticks and the bacterium that causes Lyme disease.What Is Post-Lyme Disease Syndrome?
Some people may continue to experience the symptoms of Lyme disease even after the disease has been treated, and the bacteria that causes Lyme disease has been eliminated from the body.What Are the Current Controversies
Diagnosis of Lyme disease without the presence of a rash is difficult, causing many problems for people who are sure they have the disease. Furthermore, symptoms of post-Lyme disease syndrome, like fatigue, are found in numerous other chronic medical conditions and can even be found in people who are generally healthy.Another controversial fact is that there are many people who believe that antibiotic treatment should be extended over long periods of time but studies have shown that there was no benefit to this extended treatment.
Additionally, Lyme disease has been blamed for causing autism, although evidence is lacking.
Sources
Centers for Disease Control. Division of Vector Borne Infectious Diseases. Learn About Lyme Disease.
Chin, J. (2000.) Control of communicable diseases manual. Washington D.C.: American Public Health Association.
Wormser, G. P. (2006). The clinical assessment, treatment, and prevention of Lyme disease, human granulocytic anaplasmosis, and babesiosis: clinical practice guidelines by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 43.