Lyme disease is caused by bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi ( B. burgdorferi). Blacklegged ticks carry these bacteria. The ticks pick up the bacteria when they bite mice or deer that are infected with Lyme disease. You can get the disease if you are bitten by an infected tick. Lyme disease was first reported in the United States in the town of Old Lyme, Connecticut, in 1975. In the United States, most Lyme disease infections occur in the following areas:
Northeastern states, from Virginia to Maine
North-central states, mostly in Wisconsin and Minnesota, the West Coast, particularly northern California. There are 3 stages of Lyme disease.
Symptoms of early disseminated Lyme disease (Stage 2) may occur weeks to months after the initial tick bite. They may include:
Other tests that may be done, when the infection has become more widespread, include:
Northeastern states, from Virginia to Maine
North-central states, mostly in Wisconsin and Minnesota, the West Coast, particularly northern California. There are 3 stages of Lyme disease.
- Stage 1 is called early localized Lyme disease. The infection is not yet widespread throughout the body.
- Stage 2 is called early disseminated Lyme disease. The bacteria have begun to spread throughout the body.
- Stage 3 is called late disseminated Lyme disease. The bacteria have spread throughout the body.
- Doing outside activities that increase tick exposure (for example, gardening, hunting, or hiking) in an area where Lyme disease is known to occur
- Having a pet that may carry ticks home
- Walking in high grasses
- In most cases, 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 impossible to see. Many people with Lyme disease never even saw a tick on their body.
- Most people who are bitten by a tick do not get Lyme disease.
- Body-wide itching
- Chills
- Fever
- General ill-feeling
- Headache
- Light-headedness or fainting
- Muscle pain
- Stiff neck
Symptoms of early disseminated Lyme disease (Stage 2) may occur weeks to months after the initial tick bite. They may include:
- Paralysis or weakness in the muscles of the face
- Muscle pain and pain or swelling in the knees and other large joints
- Heart problems, such as skipped heartbeats (palpitations)
- Abnormal muscle movement
- Muscle weakness
- Numbness and tingling
- Speech problems
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
- The person has a tick that can carry Lyme disease attached to their body. This usually means that a nurse or physician has looked at and identified the tick.
- The tick is thought to have been attached to the person for at least 36 hours.
- The person can begin taking the antibiotics within 72 hours of removing the tick.
- The person is over 8 years old and is not pregnant or breastfeeding.
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