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| Lyme Disease |
Lyme disease (LD) is a bacterialinfection.
It is caused by a spirochete carried by animals in nature.
Certain ticks bite infected animals, ingest the bacteria, then
transmit the infection through subsequent feedings. Humans and pets are incidental
hosts to the ticks.
There may be as many as 2 million people with LD currently.
The disease usually starts with flu-like symptoms of headache, stiff
neck, fever, muscle aches, or fatigue. About 60% of light-skinned patients notice a
unique rash days to weeks after the bite. Early symptoms disappear, and serious
multi-systemic problems may start later. Diagnosis must be based on clinical
results. A Lyme disease vaccination is being developed. |
To reduce your chances of a tick bite
- Avoid tick-infested areas.
- Wear light-colored clothing so you can more easily see ticks.
- Tuck shirt into pants, and pants into socks.
- Use EPA-approved tick repellants.
- Do frequent tick-checks.
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If bitten, use a fine-point tweezer to grasp the tick as close
to the skin as possible, and pull the tick straight out. Disinfect the tweezer and
the bite site. Place the tick in a small vial labelled with the victim's name and
date, and have the tick identified by a lab, health department, physician or veterinarian.
Links:
Arthritis Foundation
CT Agriculture Station
Department of Public Health |
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