What
is Lyme Disease?
Lyme disease is caused by a bacteria transmitted by the deer tick (Ixodes scapularis).
Lyme disease may cause symptoms affecting the skin, nervous system, heart and/or
joints of an individual. The New York State Department of Health is aware of
over 40,000 cases in the state occurring since Lyme disease became reportable
in 1986.
Who gets Lyme Disease?
Lyme disease can affect people of any age. People who spend time in grassy
and wooded environments are at an increased risk of exposure. The chances of
being bitten by a deer tick are greater during times of the year when ticks
are most active. Deer ticks in the nymphal stage are active from mid-May to
mid-August and are about the size of poppy seeds. Adult ticks, which are approximately
the size of sesame seeds, are most active in mid to late fall. The risk of
exposure to infected deer ticks may be statewide.
How is Lyme disease transmitted?
Not all deer ticks are infected with the bacteria that cause Lyme disease.
Ticks can become infected if they feed on small animals that are infected.
The disease can be spread when a tick infected with the bacteria bites a person
and stays attached for a period of time. In most cases, the tick must be attached
for 48 hours or more before the bacteria can be transmitted. Person-to-person
spread of Lyme disease does not occur.
What are the symptoms of Lyme
disease?
In 60%-80% of the cases, a large, reddish rash about 2 inches in diameter appears
and expands around or near the site of the bite. Sometimes, multiple rash sites
appear. The early stage of Lyme disease is usually marked by one or more of
the following symptoms and signs: chills and fever, headache, fatigue, stiff
neck, muscle and/or joint pain, and swollen lymph nodes. If left untreated,
complications from late Lyme disease, such as arthritis, meningitis, facial
palsy or heart abnormalities, may occur within a few weeks to months. These
later symptoms may develop 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.
When do symptoms appear?
Early symptoms may develop a week to a month after the tick bite. Does past
infection with Lyme disease make a person immune? Information available at
present indicates that re-infection is possible.
What is the treatment for Lyme
disease?
Current therapy includes the use of such antibiotics as amoxicillin, doxycycline
and ceftriaxone. Duration of therapy varies, usually 2-4 weeks. Prognosis is
improved with prompt diagnosis and appropriate, early treatment.
What can be done to prevent Lyme
disease?
When in tick-infested habitat special precautions to prevent tick bites should
be taken, such as wearing light-colored clothing (for easy tick discovery)
and tucking pants into socks and shirt into pants. Consider the use of repellents.
Check after every two to three hours of outdoor activity for ticks on clothing
or skin. Brush off any ticks on clothing before skin attachment occurs. A thorough
check of body surfaces for attached ticks should be done at the end of the
day. If removal of attached ticks occurs within 36 hours, the risk of tickborne
infection is minimal.
A
vaccine for lyme is no longer available. It was removed from the
U.S. market in 2002. Future availability of vaccines against Lyme
disease is uncertain. If you received the vaccine please keep in
mind that it does not protect all recipients against infection
with B.burgdorferi and offers no protection against other tick-borne
borreliosis. If you received the vaccine but believe you contracted
Lyme disease then experienced lab workers can usually discriminate
between B.burdorferi infection and previous (rOspA) immunization
because anti-OspA antibodies do not develp after natural infection.
(Reference: Control of Communicable Diseases Manual 18th Edition,
2004, David L. Heyman, MD, Editor).
How should a tick be removed?
Grasp the mouthparts with tweezers as close as possible to the attachment (skin)
site. 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 hands. See or call a doctor if there are concerns about
incomplete tick removal. Do not attempt to remove ticks by using petroleum
jelly, lit cigarettes or other home remedies because these may actually increase
the chance of contracting a tick-borne disease.
