1. Where can I read more about the treatment of Lyme disease?
Most patients with
Lyme disease are treated with antibiotics. For more on Lyme disease and treatment, see the
FAQs About Lyme Disease on the Infectious Diseases Society of America website.
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2. Can I do anything to protect myself from becoming infected?
Yes. If you are in the woods or garden in tick-infested areas, avoid contact with the soil, leaves, and vegetation. Wear closed shoes, light-colored clothing, and use insect repellant containing DEET. Check your clothing and exposed skin frequently and remove ticks promptly. Animals such as dogs, cats, horses, and cows can also carry the deer tick. Check your pet often, particularly the head, neck, ears, and between the toes. Use a tick repellent prescribed by your veterinarian.
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3. How can I recognize the signs if I don't show the rash?
The rash appears in up to only about 80% of those infected. This rash may be the classic "bull's eye," but may also be blotchy or red and may be confused with poison ivy, spider bites, or ringworm. It may appear between a few days and a few weeks after being bitten and can disappear quickly. If possible, take a picture of the rash to show your doctor, since the rash may be gone before you can get an appointment with him/her.
Other symptoms of Lyme disease include fatigue, chills and fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, and swollen lymph nodes. Check with your doctor if you have any of these symptoms and cannot explain how you got them.
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4. Should I be tested for Lyme disease if I don't have any symptoms?
Testing people who do not have symptoms is not recommended; the tests tend to have a higher incidence of when this is done. This is true even when someone has been bitten by a deer tick or black-legged tick. Not every tick bite will result in an infection. Not every tick is infected with
Borrelia burgdorferi and even with those that are, it typically takes between 24 and 72 hours from the time a tick attaches to a person for the to be transmitted. If a tick is promptly removed, then the risk of getting
Lyme disease is decreased. Those who have been bitten should talk to their doctor if they develop any symptoms or if they have any concerns.
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5. Are deer ticks the only way to get Lyme disease?
No. On the Pacific coast and in southeastern states, the black-legged tick also transmits
Lyme disease.
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