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Borrelia burgdorferi is a human pathogen that causes Lyme Disease.  According to the CDC about 300,000 people in the US are diagnosed with Lyme Disease each year.

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Anyone can get Lyme Disease; however those most at risk are people who live and spend time in grassy and heavily wooded areas. Lyme disease is transmitted by the bite of an infected black-legged tick, commonly known as a deer tick.  Deer ticks can carry  Borrelia burgdorferi which is a spirochete bacteria that causes Lyme disease.

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The majority of deer ticks are found in 37 eastern states in the US; however they are present in limited numbers in 6 western states

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Deer ticks normally only reach about 1/4'' in size. They can be much smaller, making them very difficult to see on humans and pets.

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Early signs and symptoms of Lyme Disease:

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Early signs and symptoms of Lyme Disease:

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Flu-like symptoms: fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle and joint aches and swollen lymph nodes.

Rash: Erythema Migrans(EM) rash can also form at the site of the tick bite. This occurs in 70-80 percent of infected people and begins on average at 7 days after the tick bite. This rash expands gradually and may feel warm to the touch. It sometimes clears as it enlarges resulting in a target or “bulls-eye”

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Later signs and symptoms of Lyme disease:

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Later signs and symptoms of Lyme disease:

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Erythema Migrans(EM) rash in other areas of the body
Severe Joint pain and swelling especially affecting the knees; however can affect other larger joints.
Neurological problems can develop weeks, months or years after infection. Inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain, temporary paralysis on one side of the face(Bells Palsy), numbness or weakness in the limbs and impaired muscle movement.

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Lyme disease is usually treated with oral antibiotics. Oral treatment includes doxycycline, amoxicillin, or cefuroxime axetil.

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Most of the time Lyme disease can be treated with oral antibiotics; however people with certain neurological or cardiac forms if illness can require IV antibiotic treatment such as ceftriaxone or penicillin.

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Since Lyme disease is aqquired by being bitten by an infected deer tick, it is important to take measures to reduce contact with deer ticks. The easiest way to protect yourself is to cover up while in the outdoors. Whenever possible wear long pants and long sleeve shirts to reduce skin exposure.

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Using insect repellent with a 20% or higher DEET concentration is a great way to repel deer ticks.

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After spending time outdoors check yourself thoroughly for ticks. Deer ticks can be very small and hard to see, so it is best to shower when returning from outdoor activities.

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If a tick does attach to you, use a set of tweezers to grab the tick by the head and detach it from your skin. Be careful to remove the head along with the body of the tick.   After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub, or soap and water.

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Medical information was obtained from the Center for Disease Control.   https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/treatment/index.html#modalIdString_CDCTable_0