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In the early 1970s, a mysterious clustering of arthritis
cases occurred among children in Lyme, Connecticut, and surrounding
towns. Medical experts soon recognized the illness as a distinct
disease, which they called Lyme disease. They subsequently
described the signs and symptoms of Lyme disease, established
the usefulness of antibiotics for treating it, identified
the deer tick as the key to its spread, and isolated the
bacterium that caused it.
Lyme disease is still mistaken for other ailments, and it
continues to pose many other challenges, including the following
• It can be difficult to diagnose
• It can be troublesome to treat in its later phases
• A number of different ticks can transmit diseases
with
symptoms similar to Lyme disease
• Deer ticks can transmit diseases other than Lyme disease
Symptoms
Erythema Migrans
Usually, the first symptom
of Lyme disease is a red rash known as erythema migrans (EM).
The telltale rash starts as a small red spot at the site of the tick bite. The spot
expands over a period of days or weeks, forming a circular or oval-shaped rash. Sometimes the rash resembles a bull’s
eye, appearing as a red ring surrounding a clear area with a red center. The rash, which can range in size from
that of a dime to the width of your back, appears within
a few weeks of a tick bite and usually at the site of the bite.
As infection spreads, rashes can appear at different sites on the body.
Erythema migrans is often accompanied by symptoms such as
fever, headache, stiff neck, body aches, and fatigue. Although these flu-like symptoms may resemble those
of common viral infections, Lyme disease symptoms tend to persist or may come and go.
Arthritis
After several months of B. burgdorferi infection, slightly
more than half of people not treated with antibiotics develop
recurrent attacks of painful and swollen joints that last
a few days to a few months. The arthritis can shift from one joint to another. The knee is most commonly affected.
About 10 to 20 percent of untreated people will go on to develop chronic (long-lasting) arthritis.
Neurologic
Symptoms
Lyme disease also can affect your nervous system, causing
symptoms such as
• Stiff neck and severe headache (meningitis)
• Temporary paralysis of facial muscles (Bell’s
palsy)
• Numbness, pain, or weakness in the limbs
• Poor muscle movement
More subtle changes such as memory loss, difficulty concentrating,
and a change in mood or sleep habits also have been associated
with Lyme disease. Nervous system problems usually develop
several weeks, months, or even years following an untreated
infection. These symptoms often last for weeks or months
and may return.
Less commonly, untreated people may develop other problems
weeks, months, or even years after infection. These include
Heart Problems
Fewer than 1 out of 10 people with Lyme disease develop heart
problems, such as irregular heartbeat, which can start
with dizziness or shortness of breath. These symptoms rarely
last more than a few days or weeks. Such heart problems
generally show up several weeks after infection.
Other Symptoms
Less commonly, Lyme disease can result in eye inflammation,
hepatitis (liver disease), and severe fatigue, although
none of these problems is likely to appear without other
Lyme disease symptoms being present.
To read the rest of this article (including diagnosis
and treatment information) from the National Institute
of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, please click here: http://www.niaid.nih.gov/publications/Lyme_Disease_%20Final07-12-05.pdf
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