This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Kpjas (talk | contribs) at 17:56, 11 June 2003. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 17:56, 11 June 2003 by Kpjas (talk | contribs)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Lyme disease is an infectious disease, first observed in and around Lyme, Connecticut in 1977. It is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, which is transmitted to humans by the bite of infected deer ticks.
Symptoms
Symptoms of Lyme disease include:
The incubation period from infection to the onset of symptoms is usually 1-2 weeks, but can be as long as one month. However, it is possible for an infected person to display no symptoms, or display only one or two symptoms, which can make diagnosis difficult. Left untreated, Lyme disease can cause chronic disability, but is rarely fatal.
Prevention
Lyme disease infection can be prevented by avoiding heavily wooded areas, where ticks may live in the moist, thick underbrush. If such places cannot be avoided, prevention can also be achieved by:
- applying insect repellent to exposed skin, especially those containing DEET. Permethrin can also be applied to clothing,
- wearing light-coloured clothing so that ticks can be located easily and removed,
- wearing long sleeves and pants and tucking pant bottoms into the tops of socks.
In addition, since the tick usually must be attached to the skin for at least 36 hours before the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria is transmitted, removing the tick immediately when found may prevent infection.
Treatment
Treatment of Lyme disease usually consists of a course of antibiotics.