Lyme disease - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic

Rash. From three to 30 days after an infected tick bite, an expanding red area might appear that sometimes clears in the center, forming a ... COVID-19:Advice,updatesandvaccineoptions Weareopenforsafein-personcare. Learnmore: MayoClinicfactsaboutcoronavirusdisease2019(COVID-19) OurCOVID-19patientandvisitorguidelines,plustrustedhealthinformation Lateston COVID-19vaccination bysite: Arizonapatientvaccinationupdates Arizona, Floridapatientvaccinationupdates Florida, Rochesterpatientvaccinationupdates Rochesterand MayoClinicHealthSystempatientvaccinationupdates MCHS Skiptositenavigation SkiptoContent ThiscontentdoesnothaveanEnglishversion.ThiscontentdoesnothaveanArabicversion. SectionsforLymediseaseSymptoms&causesDiagnosis&treatmentDoctors&departments Print OverviewLymediseaseiscausedbyfourmainspeciesofbacteria.BorreliaburgdorferiandBorreliamayoniicauseLymediseaseintheUnitedStates,whileBorreliaafzeliiandBorreliagariniiaretheleadingcausesinEuropeandAsia.Themostcommontick-borneillnessintheseregions,Lymediseaseistransmittedbythebiteofaninfectedblack-leggedtick,commonlyknownasadeertick. You'remorelikelytogetLymediseaseifyouliveorspendtimeingrassyandheavilywoodedareaswheretickscarryingLymediseasethrive.It'simportanttotakecommon-senseprecautionsintick-infestedareas.Products&ServicesBook:MayoClinicFamilyHealthBook,5thEditionNewsletter:MayoClinicHealthLetter—DigitalEditionShowmoreproductsfromMayoClinic Symptoms Lymediseaserash Openpop-updialogbox Close Lymediseaserash Lymediseaserash PeoplewithLymediseasemightgetacharacteristicbull's-eyerash.Therashgraduallyspreadsoveraperiodofdaysandcaneventuallyreachupto12inches(30centimeters)across. ThesignsandsymptomsofLymediseasevary.Theyusuallyappearinstages,butthestagescanoverlap. EarlysignsandsymptomsAsmall,redbump,similartothebumpofamosquitobite,oftenappearsatthesiteofatickbiteortickremovalandresolvesoverafewdays.Thisnormaloccurrencedoesn'tindicateLymedisease. However,thesesignsandsymptomscanoccurwithinamonthafteryou'vebeeninfected: Rash.Fromthreeto30daysafteraninfectedtickbite,anexpandingredareamightappearthatsometimesclearsinthecenter,formingabull's-eyepattern.Therash(erythemamigrans)expandsslowlyoverdaysandcanspreadto12inches(30centimeters)across.It'stypicallynotitchyorpainfulbutmightfeelwarmtothetouch. ErythemamigransisoneofthehallmarksofLymedisease,althoughnoteveryonewithLymediseasedevelopstherash.Somepeopledevelopthisrashatmorethanoneplaceontheirbodies. Othersymptoms.Fever,chills,fatigue,bodyaches,headache,neckstiffnessandswollenlymphnodescanaccompanytherash. LatersignsandsymptomsIfuntreated,newsignsandsymptomsofLymeinfectionmightappearinthefollowingweekstomonths.Theseinclude: Erythemamigrans.Therashmayappearonotherareasofyourbody. Jointpain.Boutsofseverejointpainandswellingareespeciallylikelytoaffectyourknees,butthepaincanshiftfromonejointtoanother. Neurologicalproblems.Weeks,monthsorevenyearsafterinfection,youmightdevelopinflammationofthemembranessurroundingyourbrain(meningitis),temporaryparalysisofonesideofyourface(Bell'spalsy),numbnessorweaknessinyourlimbs,andimpairedmusclemovement. LesscommonsignsandsymptomsSeveralweeksafterinfection,somepeopledevelop: Heartproblems,suchasanirregularheartbeat Eyeinflammation Liverinflammation(hepatitis) Severefatigue WhentoseeadoctorIfyou'vebeenbittenbyatickandhavesymptoms OnlyaminorityoftickbitesleadstoLymedisease.Thelongerthetickremainsattachedtoyourskin,thegreateryourriskofgettingthedisease.Lymeinfectionisunlikelyifthetickisattachedforlessthan36to48hours. Ifyouthinkyou'vebeenbittenandhavesignsandsymptomsofLymedisease—particularlyifyouliveinanareawhereLymediseaseiscommon—contactyourdoctor.TreatmentforLymediseaseismoreeffectiveifbegunearly. Seeyourdoctorevenifsymptomsdisappear Visityourdoctorevenifsignsandsymptomsdisappear—theabsenceofsymptomsdoesn'tmeanthediseaseisgone.Untreated,Lymediseasecanspreadtootherpartsofyourbodyforseveralmonthstoyearsafterinfection,causingarthritisandnervoussystemproblems.Tickscanalsotransmitotherillnesses,suchasbabesiosisandColoradotickfever. RequestanAppointmentatMayoClinic Causes Deertick Openpop-updialogbox Close Deertick Deertick Thedeertick(Ixodesscapularis)goesthroughthreelifestages.Shownfromlefttorightistheadultfemale,adultmale,nymphandlarvaonacentimeterscale. IntheUnitedStates,LymediseaseiscausedbythebacteriaBorreliaburgdorferiandBorreliamayonii,carriedprimarilybyblack-leggedordeerticks.Youngbrownticksoftenarenobiggerthanapoppyseed,whichcanmakethemnearlyimpossibletospot. TocontractLymedisease,aninfecteddeertickmustbiteyou.Thebacteriaenteryourskinthroughthebiteandeventuallymaketheirwayintoyourbloodstream. Inmostcases,totransmitLymedisease,adeertickmustbeattachedfor36to48hours.Ifyoufindanattachedtickthatlooksswollen,itmayhavefedlongenoughtotransmitbacteria.Removingthetickassoonaspossiblemightpreventinfection. RiskfactorsWhereyouliveorvacationcanaffectyourchancesofgettingLymedisease.Socanyourprofessionandtheoutdooractivitiesyouenjoy.ThemostcommonriskfactorsforLymediseaseinclude: Spendingtimeinwoodedorgrassyareas.IntheUnitedStates,deerticksarefoundmostlyintheheavilywoodedareasoftheNortheastandMidwest.Childrenwhospendalotoftimeoutdoorsintheseregionsareespeciallyatrisk.Adultswithoutdoorjobsalsoareatincreasedrisk. Havingexposedskin.Ticksattacheasilytobareflesh.Ifyou'reinanareawhereticksarecommon,protectyourselfandyourchildrenbywearinglongsleevesandlongpants.Don'tallowyourpetstowanderintallweedsandgrasses. Notremovingtickspromptlyorproperly.Bacteriafromatickbitecanenteryourbloodstreamifthetickstaysattachedtoyourskinfor36to48hoursorlonger.Ifyouremoveatickwithintwodays,yourriskofgettingLymediseaseislow. ComplicationsUntreatedLymediseasecancause: Chronicjointinflammation(Lymearthritis),particularlyoftheknee Neurologicalsymptoms,suchasfacialpalsyandneuropathy Cognitivedefects,suchasimpairedmemory Heartrhythmirregularities PreventionThebestwaytopreventLymediseaseistoavoidareaswheredeertickslive,especiallywooded,bushyareaswithlonggrass.YoucandecreaseyourriskofgettingLymediseasewithsomesimpleprecautions: Coverup.Wheninwoodedorgrassyareas,wearshoes,longpantstuckedintoyoursocks,along-sleevedshirt,ahatandgloves.Trytosticktotrailsandavoidwalkingthroughlowbushesandlonggrass.Keepyourdogonaleash. Useinsectrepellents.Applyinsectrepellentwitha20%orhigherconcentrationofDEETtoyourskin.Parentsshouldapplyrepellanttotheirchildren,avoidingtheirhands,eyesandmouth. Keepinmindthatchemicalrepellentscanbetoxic,sofollowdirectionscarefully.Applyproductswithpermethrintoclothingorbuypretreatedclothing. Doyourbesttotick-proofyouryard.Clearbrushandleaveswheretickslive.Mowyourlawnregularly.Stackwoodneatlyindry,sunnyareastodiscouragerodentsthatcarryticks. Checkyourclothing,yourself,yourchildrenandyourpetsforticks.Beespeciallyvigilantafterspendingtimeinwoodedorgrassyareas.Deerticksareoftennobiggerthantheheadofapin,soyoumightnotdiscoverthemunlessyousearchcarefully. It'shelpfultoshowerassoonasyoucomeindoors.Ticksoftenremainonyourskinforhoursbeforeattachingthemselves.Showeringandusingawashclothmightremoveunattachedticks. Don'tassumeyou'reimmune.YoucangetLymediseasemorethanonce. Removeatickassoonaspossiblewithtweezers.Gentlygrasptheticknearitsheadormouth.Don'tsqueezeorcrushthetick,butpullcarefullyandsteadily.Onceyou'veremovedtheentiretick,disposeofitbyputtingitinalcoholorflushingitdownthetoilet,andapplyantiseptictothebitearea. MayoClinicMinute:WilltherebeaLymediseasevaccineforhumans? ShowtranscriptforvideoMayoClinicMinute:WilltherebeaLymediseasevaccineforhumans? "YoucanprotectyourdogintheU.S.againstLymedisease,butyoucan'tprotectyouoryourchildrenwithavaccine." Dr.GregoryPoland,directortheMayoClinicVaccineResearchGroup,saystherewasavaccineforhumans,butitwaswithdrawn. GregoryPoland,M.D.,VaccineResearchGroup,MayoClinic: "Theprimaryreasonistherewasimmenseantivaccinesentimentaboutthevaccine,muchlikewehadwithmeaslesvaccine.It'sillogical." It'sthebiteofaninfectedblackleggedtickordeertickthat'sresponsibleformakingsomanypeoplesickwithLymedisease. "Thereareprobablyabout300,000newcasesayear." TherearenoplansatthistimeforanewLymevaccineintheU.S.,butthereisgoodnews.Avaccine,VLA15,isbeingdevelopedinEurope. "They'vebeenthroughphase2testing.Nowthey'lldophase3clinicaltesting,whichmeanstheygototheFDA,getapproval,andthey'lldoverylargestudies." Dr.PolandsaysitmighttakefiveyearsormorebeforeaLymediseasevaccineisreadyforhumans.Untilthen,it'simportanttobeticksmart. FortheMayoClinicNewsNetwork,I'mIanRoth. MayoClinicMinute:Waystoavoidticks ShowtranscriptforvideoMayoClinicMinute:Waystoavoidticks Whileyou'reenjoyingahike,ticksarelookingforaride. "Theygetthemselvesinaposition.Andtheywillclimbupthenearestobject,likethisbladeofgrasshere."It'scalledquesting."Itsticksoutitslegs,andthatallowsittograbontohostsastheywalkby."Youcanlessenthechancesyou'llbecomeahost."Usinginsectrepellentsisagoodidea." MayoClinicparasiticdiseasesexpertDr.BobbiPrittsuggestspermethrinforyourclothingandgear. "Youcanreallysaturateyourgear.Leavethemouttodry,and,then,thenextday,wearthem." UsepermethrinonmaterialsandDEETonskin.SpraytheDEETrepellentonexposedskin,includingyourlegsandhands.Avoidyourface,butbesuretoprotectyourneck.Then,tuckyourpantsintoyoursocks.And,onyourhike,remembertoavoidareaswherethosequestingticksmaybeperched. "That'swhyyouwanttostayawayfromthetallgrasses.Stayinthemiddle." FortheMayoClinicNewsNetwork,I'mJeffOlsen. MoreInformationMayoClinicMinute:WilltherebeaLymediseasevaccineforhumans? ByMayoClinicStaff RequestanAppointmentatMayoClinic Diagnosis&treatment Oct.24,2020 Print Shareon:FacebookTwitter Showreferences Lymedisease.CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention.https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/index.html.AccessedSept.2,2018. PittBS,etal.IdentificationofanovelpathogenicBorreliaspeciescausingLymeborreliosiswithunusuallyhighspirochaetaemia:Adescriptivestudy.TheLancetInfectiousDiseases.2016;16:556. HuL.ClinicalmanifestationsofLymediseaseinadults.https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search.AccessedSept.2,2018. HuL.TreatmentofLymediseaseinadults.https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search.AccessedSept.2,2018. TenfactsyoushouldknowaboutLymedisease.InfectiousDiseaseSocietyofAmerica.https://www.idsociety.org/Ten_Facts_About_Lyme_Disease/#.AccessedSept.6,2018. HuL.DiagnosisofLymedisease.https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search.AccessedSept.6,2018. LantosPM,etal.UnorthodoxalternativetherapiesmarketedtotreatLymedisease.ClinicalInfectiousDiseases.2015;60:1776. Post-treatmentLymediseasesyndrome.CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention.https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/postlds/index.html.AccessedOct.9,2020. Related Deertick Lymediseaserash MayoClinicMinute:WilltherebeaLymediseasevaccineforhumans? 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