LYME DISEASE
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection
spread thru the bite of the black legged tick
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Summer is the tick season
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Cases of Lyme Disease have been found
- In the Northeastern US in states from Virginia to Maine
- In the North central states of Minnesota & Wisconsin
- On the West Coast mostly in Northern California
Usually, a tick must be attached to your body
for 24 - 36 hours to spread the bacteria to your blood
- Blacklegged ticks can be so small that they are almost mpossible to see
- Many people with Lyme Disease never see a tick on their body
- Most people who are bitten by a tick do not get Lyme disease
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AVOID CONTACT WITH TICKS
- Avoid wooded or bushy areas or areas with high grasses, leaf litter & deer
- When walking or hiking, walk in the center of trails
- Check yourself & your pets frequently during & after your walk or hike
- Talk to your pet’s Vet to learn the process of checking for ticks
- Spray all exposed skin & clothing with a product that contains Permethrin (protects thru several washings ) when you walk, hike, garden or check your pet for ticks
SYMPTOMS
STAGE 1
Symptoms begin days or weeks after the bite happens
- Body-wide itching
- Chills
- Fever
- General ill-feeling
- Headache
- Light-headedness or fainting
- Muscle pain
- Stiff neck
- A "bull's eye" rash, a flat or slightly raised red spot at the site of the tick bite which may have a clear area in the center
Symptoms may come & go
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Untreated, Lyme Disease can spread to the brain, heart & joints
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CALL YOUR DOCTOR
- If you have the large, red, expanding rash that may look like a bull's eye
- Had a tick bite & develop weakness, numbness, tingling or heart problems
STAGE 2
Symptoms may occur weeks to months after the bite happens
- Heart problems, such as skipped heartbeats (palpitations)
- Muscle pain
- Pain or swelling in the knees & other large joints
- Paralysis & weakness of the face
STAGE 3
Symptoms can occur months or years after bite happens
- Abnormal muscle movement
- Muscle & joint pain
- Muscle weakness
- Numbness & tingling
- Speech problems
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SIGNS & TESTS
- In areas where Lyme disease is more common, your health care provider may be able to diagnose Stage 1 Lyme disease without doing any lab tests
- A blood test can be done to check for the bacteria that cause Lyme disease
Other tests that may be done,
when the infection has become more widespread, include
- Electrocardiogram
- Echocardiogram to look at the heart
- Spinal tap (lumbar puncture to examine spinal fluid)
- MRI of the brain
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TREATMENT
Anyone who knows they have been bitten by a tick
should be watched closely for at least 30 days
A single dose of antibiotics may be offered to someone
soon after being bitten by a tick,
if all of the following are true
- A nurse or physician has looked at & identified a tick attached to your body
- The nurse or physician believes the tick has been attached for at least 36 hours
- The person is over 8 years old & is not pregnant or breast feeding
The person can begin taking the antibiotics
within 72 hours of removing the tick
A 2 - 4-week course of antibiotics
is used to treat people
who are diagnosed with Lyme disease
- The specific antibiotic used depends on the stage of the disease & the symptoms
- Pain medications, such as ibuprofen, are sometimes prescribed to relieve joint stiffness
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PROGNOSIS
If diagnosed in the early stages
Lyme disease can be cured with antibiotics
- Without treatment, complications involving the joints, heart & nervous system can occur but these are treatable
- Rarely will a person continue having symptoms that can interfere with daily life after they have been treated with antibiotics
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ADDITIONAL BUG PAGES
Bed Bugs | Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever | West Nile Virus
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