Deer ticks are tiny parasites that live on deer and other woodland creatures in the forests of North America and Europe and can carry the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria which causes Lyme disease. People who spend time hiking, camping or such run an increased risk of coming into contact with these parasites, which is why they should do all they can to become aware of prevention strategies and how to treat Lyme disease.
It may take as long as a month for symptoms to begin to appear, and these can vary from one patient to the next. There is normally a bull's-eye pattern of inflammation that forms around the bite, headache, achy joints and muscles, fever, chills, and fatigue. Some patients may also develop a body rash. Although uncommon, serious complications which may result include meningitis, Bell's palsy, eye or liver inflammation, miscarriage in pregnant women, and heartbeat irregularities.
Only a small percentage of tick bites will lead to Lyme disease, but in cases where one suspects they have a tick bite, it's best to consult a physician. With timely treatment, most patients will fully recovery, but left alone, this illness can have damaging permanent effects on the nervous system and can cause arthritis.
Because the symptoms which typically manifest with this condition are also common to many others, it is necessary for the doctor to ask the patient a number of questions, examine him or her, and order lab tests which can confirm the presence of antibodies against this type of bacteria, usually the ELISA-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, or Western blot test is used for this purpose.
If the tests confirm that the patient has Lyme disease, antibiotic therapy will be started immediately. The outlook for the patient's long-term recovery is improved substantially if treatment is administered promptly. A two to four week course of oral doxycycline or amoxicillin is most often given, but it is not recommended to continue it past this point since this may be harmful.
If a patient is exhibiting signs of cardiac or nervous system involvement, IV antibiotics may be administered for as much as two weeks. Nursing mothers or children under the age of 9, will be prescribed penicillin or amoxicillin instead of doxycycline, which is known to stain developing teeth. Patients who have an allergy to penicillin-based drugs, will be given erythromycin.
Prevention of Lyme disease is the best cure. When one will be outdoors in areas that are grassy or wooded, it's a good idea to wear light-colored, snug clothing which covers the arms and legs, tuck shirts into pants and pant-legs into socks or boots, stay on the central trails and avoid overgrown areas, wear repellents containing DEET or the tick repellent Permethrin, and spray it on clothing before venturing out. After returning home, checking oneself and their family members for signs of ticks is important, if they are removed early, infection may not occur.
With prompt antibiotic therapy, most patients will recover from this condition with no long-term effects. However, one bout of this illness does not provide immunity against future infections, even though the antibodies may remain in the bloodstream for up to several years. It is still highly advisable to take the recommended precautions when going outdoors in places that are possibly inhabited by the deer tick.
It may take as long as a month for symptoms to begin to appear, and these can vary from one patient to the next. There is normally a bull's-eye pattern of inflammation that forms around the bite, headache, achy joints and muscles, fever, chills, and fatigue. Some patients may also develop a body rash. Although uncommon, serious complications which may result include meningitis, Bell's palsy, eye or liver inflammation, miscarriage in pregnant women, and heartbeat irregularities.
Only a small percentage of tick bites will lead to Lyme disease, but in cases where one suspects they have a tick bite, it's best to consult a physician. With timely treatment, most patients will fully recovery, but left alone, this illness can have damaging permanent effects on the nervous system and can cause arthritis.
Because the symptoms which typically manifest with this condition are also common to many others, it is necessary for the doctor to ask the patient a number of questions, examine him or her, and order lab tests which can confirm the presence of antibodies against this type of bacteria, usually the ELISA-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, or Western blot test is used for this purpose.
If the tests confirm that the patient has Lyme disease, antibiotic therapy will be started immediately. The outlook for the patient's long-term recovery is improved substantially if treatment is administered promptly. A two to four week course of oral doxycycline or amoxicillin is most often given, but it is not recommended to continue it past this point since this may be harmful.
If a patient is exhibiting signs of cardiac or nervous system involvement, IV antibiotics may be administered for as much as two weeks. Nursing mothers or children under the age of 9, will be prescribed penicillin or amoxicillin instead of doxycycline, which is known to stain developing teeth. Patients who have an allergy to penicillin-based drugs, will be given erythromycin.
Prevention of Lyme disease is the best cure. When one will be outdoors in areas that are grassy or wooded, it's a good idea to wear light-colored, snug clothing which covers the arms and legs, tuck shirts into pants and pant-legs into socks or boots, stay on the central trails and avoid overgrown areas, wear repellents containing DEET or the tick repellent Permethrin, and spray it on clothing before venturing out. After returning home, checking oneself and their family members for signs of ticks is important, if they are removed early, infection may not occur.
With prompt antibiotic therapy, most patients will recover from this condition with no long-term effects. However, one bout of this illness does not provide immunity against future infections, even though the antibodies may remain in the bloodstream for up to several years. It is still highly advisable to take the recommended precautions when going outdoors in places that are possibly inhabited by the deer tick.
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