Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. While nearly every location throughout the United States has reports of Lyme disease, it is the most prevalent in northern California, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Oregon and Washington. The following discusses the symptoms, causes, treatment and prevention of Lyme disease.
Symptoms
Since this condition can affect various parts of the body, its signs and symptoms can vary depending on how a person is affected by the bacteria. In most people who become infected with Borrelia burgdorferi, one of the most noticeable symptoms is a rash that most closely resembles a bull's-eye. This type of rash occurs in 70-80 percent of people who have become infected with the bacteria. Other signs and symptoms of Lyme disease include fever, headache, body aches, chills, swollen lymph nodes, an irregular heartbeat and joint pain, which normally occurs if the infection is not treated promptly.
Causes
Deer ticks are the primary carriers of the bacteria that cause Lyme disease. Since they are incredibly small, they are almost impossible to detect. In order for a person to contract this illness, they must be bitten by a tick that is infected with the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi. In order to transmit the bacteria to a person, the deer tick must be attached to the person's skin and feed on their blood for at least 48 hours. The bacterium enters the skin through the bite of the deer tick, which then travels through the bloodstream.
Treatment
Lyme disease doctors in Kentucky and other physicians treat the infection through a course of antibiotics. Taking oral antibiotics for 14-21 days is the standard course of treatment for mild cases that are caught early before the bacteria could spread to other areas of the body.
For people who have a moderate to severe type of infection and the disease has progressed, antibiotics are administered intravenously for a period of 14-28 days. In most cases, the infection is cleared and further complications are avoided when treatment is sought, although it is possible to have recurring muscle aches and fatigue even after seeking treatment.
Prevention
There are many methods which can help to reduce a person's risk of contracting Lyme disease. If a person is walking or hiking through a heavily wooded area, covering as much skin as possible will be helpful in reducing their risk. This can be accomplished by wearing long pants, hats, long-sleeved shirts, shoes and gloves.
Applying an insect repellent that contains between a 10-30 percent concentration of DEET will offer protection from deer ticks and make them less likely to attach to the skin. If a person has spent time in a wooded or grassy area, they should carefully search their body for deer ticks. It is also helpful to take a shower afterward, as this will remove any deer ticks that may have become attached to the skin.
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