I have so much to say about ticks and Lyme disease that I wrote two separate posts. If you haven’t already, I recommend you read my blog post on ticks first (click here) which has information on prevention of tick bites and removal of ticks. This post will focus on Lyme disease, its transmission and early symptoms.

If you check your children and yourself every night before bed you will most likely find ticks before they have a chance to infect you. A tick needs to be attached for more than 36-48 hours before it can transmit the bacteria that causes Lyme disease.

This is the most common scenario:

You have a great day outdoors enjoying the beautiful summer weather. That night at bath time, you find a tick attached to your child. You remove it completely using tweezers. Of course, you take a picture of it, and then flush that nasty bugger down the toilet. Then you clean the site of attachment with betadine or peroxide. (Keep the area clean over the next few days, as most likely there is a small opening and, like any insect bite, can become infected.) You then consult the CDC’s website and determine what type of tick it is. If it’s a dog tick, you don’t have to worry about Lyme disease. If it’s a deer tick, you can feel comfortable just monitoring your child for symptoms. Since the tick was attached less than 36-48 hours, your child’s chances of getting Lyme are extremely low.

Less commonly, you might find an engorged tick or one that has been attached for an unknown period of time. Don’t panic! Go to your doctor to find out if your child is a candidate for antibiotic prophylaxis and keep a close eye out for a rash and flu-like symptoms.  If he or she experiences any of these symptoms, they should be seen by their physician right away.

Diagnosis:

A diagnosis of Lyme is made based on:

• Symptoms
• History of possible exposure to infected black-legged ticks
• Patient blood testing when used appropriately

Unfortunately, there is not a simple blood test to diagnose Lyme immediately.  The lab testing we use is accurate, but not until 4-6 weeks after a tick bite.  For this reason, prevention, early tick removal and a close watch for early symptoms are extremely important in battling Lyme disease.

Testing of ticks is generally not recommended. This is because:

1. Tick testing labs are not held to the same high standards of quality control as clinical diagnostic labs are.
2. Results of tick testing should not be used for treatment decisions.
3. Positive results do not necessarily mean you have been infected.
4. Negative results may give false reassurance.
5. If you have been infected, your symptoms may present before the test results are available.

Symptoms:

Early symptoms of Lyme disease start 3-30 days after the tick bite. These can include fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle aches, joint aches, and swollen lymph nodes. (Think flu-like symptoms.) The rash you’ve heard about is the classic “bullseye” rash. This rash looks like a bullseye (think Target) and is typically (but not always) found at the site of the tick bite. This rash begins on average 7 days after the tick bite (but can range from 3-30 days after). The bullseye rash is seen in about 70-80% of Lyme cases. This rash is rarely itchy or painful, and sometimes expands in size over time.

Treatment:

Lyme Disease is treated with antibiotics for about 2-3 weeks. Fortunately, recovery is usually rapid and complete for those who are treated early and with appropriate antibiotics.

The CDC’s website has a lot of information on Lyme disease and the many other diseases that ticks transmit.  It’s definitely worth checking out to learn more!

https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/index.html