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Lyme Disease symptoms vary from person to person. (lymes disease lyme's disease lime disease limes disease)
The data and information presented in this web site are presented in good faith and believed to be accurate regarding Lyme disease (commonly misspelled lymes disease lyme's disease lime disease limes disease) and other related diseases. Any and all liability for the content or any omissions including any inaccuracies, errors, or misstatements in such data or information is expressly disclaimed. The web site is compiled for the sole purpose of informing community members of resources and information pertaining to Lyme Borreliosis Disease and its coinfections. Lyme disease symptoms may vary from person to person.
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Consult a qualified Lyme ( Borreliosis ) Disease literate doctor for medical advice if Lyme Disease is suspect to discuss your Lymes Disease Symptoms.
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Deer Ticks Pass More Than Lyme Disease, Minnesota Health Officials Warn
Tue, 05/08/2007
Now is the time to prevent tick bites, protect yourself from three diseases, they say
May 7, 2007 -- Lyme disease is still the state’s most commonly reported tick-borne disease, but two other diseases—human anaplasmosis and babesiosis—can result from deer tick bites in Minnesota, warn state health officials.
These diseases are less common than Lyme disease, but can result in serious illness. “We need Minnesotans to know that Lyme disease is not the only disease they can get from deer ticks,” said Melissa Kemperman, an epidemiologist at the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) specializing in diseases carried by ticks and mosquitoes. “The elderly or immune compromised are at particular risk for human anaplasmosis and babesiosis, which can result in hospitalization or even death.”
Increasingly high numbers of all three deer tick-transmitted diseases are being reported in Minnesota. In 2006, near-record totals of 914 Lyme disease cases and 177 human anaplasmosis cases were reported to MDH. Reports of babesiosis are more rare, but 2006 was a record year with 18 reported cases.
The prime season for tick-borne disease begins in May, when weather becomes warmer and deer ticks begin to be most active. This puts Minnesotans in some parts of the state at risk for tick-borne diseases as they begin to enjoy outdoor activities in woody or brushy areas.
“The risk of being exposed to these illnesses is greatest between mid-May and mid-July,” said Kemperman. “It’s very important to take simple precautions to protect yourself from deer ticks and the three diseases they carry.”
Checking yourself for ticks is an important step in preventing disease. Because deer ticks can be difficult to see, Kemperman stressed the importance of also using a tick repellent, wearing long pants, and staying to the center of trails when spending time in deer tick habitat.
Deer ticks (also called blacklegged ticks) are found in woody, brushy areas in central and southeast Minnesota. Over the past few years, they have appeared to expand their range into areas north and west of the historically high-risk areas.
Although deer ticks are typically active from April through October, the weeks between mid-May and mid-July represent the period of greatest activity for the nymph stage of the tick. Nymphs are most likely to spread disease because they are very small and can feed without being detected.
Deer ticks are smaller and darker in color than the common wood ticks that people may also encounter this time of year. They also lack the wood tick’s characteristic white markings, and the back end of the female is reddish in appearance.
Deer ticks carry the bacteria that cause human anaplasmosis (HA), formerly called human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE). Symptoms of HA include abrupt onset of a high fever (102 degrees or more), chills, severe headache, and muscle aches. These symptoms appear between 1 and 3 weeks after an infectious tick bite. Although people of all ages can get HA, it is most severe in the elderly. In 2006, about 40% of Minnesota’s human anaplasmosis cases were hospitalized for their infection. If HA is untreated, it can result in organ failure and death.
Deer ticks also carry a malaria-like parasite that causes babesiosis. Babesiosis is characterized by high fever, muscle aches, fatigue, headache, and loss of appetite. These symptoms usually appear 1-6 weeks after a deer tick bite, but may take longer in some individuals. Most people infected with the babesiosis parasite will have mild symptoms, or no symptoms at all. However, people who are immune compromised may develop severe illness. Babesiosis can be fatal. In the past five years, 3 reported babesiosis patients in Minnesota have died from their infection.
Lyme disease symptoms include a bulls-eye rash, fever, headache, chills, muscle pain, and joint pain. The bulls-eye rash, one of the earliest symptoms, typically appears between 3 and 30 days after the tick bite. Not everyone with Lyme disease develops the rash. Some people can develop two or more of these diseases at the same time.
If you develop signs or symptoms of a tick-related illness after spending time in deer tick habitat, you should see a physician right away. Lyme disease and human anaplasmosis can be treated with an antibiotic, and babesiosis is treated with anti-protozoal medications. Early diagnosis and treatment are important in preventing severe illness.
Not all deer ticks carry the organisms that cause Lyme disease, human anaplasmosis, or babesiosis. If an infected deer tick bites you, it needs to be attached at least 12-24 hours to transmit the human anaplasmosis bacteria and 24-48 hours to transmit the Lyme disease bacteria. Not every person who is infected with these organisms will develop symptoms.
It is best to avoid tick bites altogether. To protect yourself from deer ticks, health officials suggest that you:
* Know when you’re in tick habitat—brushy, wooded areas—where you will need to take precautions.
* Use a good tick repellent, such as a product containing permethrin or DEET, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
* Wear clothes that will help to shield you from ticks. Long-sleeved shirts and long pants are best. Tuck your pants into the top of your socks or boots to create a “tick barrier.”
* Check frequently for ticks and remove them promptly.
* Remove the tick slowly and gently using a pair of tweezers. Folk remedies like Vaseline, nail polish remover, or matches are not safe or effective methods of tick removal.
Source: Minnesota Department of Health
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