Lyme disease is a bacterial infection primarily transmitted by Ixodes ticks, also known as deer ticks or blacklegged ticks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 476,000 people are diagnosed with Lyme disease in the US every year.

Symptoms of early Lyme disease may present as a flu-like illness (fever, chills, sweats, muscle aches, fatigue, nausea and joint pain). Some patients have a rash or Bell’s palsy (facial drooping). However, although a rash shaped like a bull’s-eye is considered characteristic of Lyme disease, many people develop a different kind of Lyme rash or none at all. Estimates of patients who develop a Lyme rash vary widely, ranging from about 30% to 80%. If you think you may have Lyme disease, please visit your doctor right away.

Your best defense against tick-borne illness is to avoid contact with ticks in the first place. Your next best defense is to quickly find and remove any ticks that may latch on to you. If you cannot avoid tick habitat, try dressing defensively, use tick repellent, check for ticks periodically (don’t forget to check children and pets too!), shower when you get home, run your clothes through the dryer on the hottest setting, and use tick prevention for pets.

Graphic: Lake Superior News



To see the original report follow this link to the Lake Superior News website.