
Lyme is a disease transmitted by ticks that are found in many areas, primarily in the northeast and northern Midwest. More than 30,000 cases are reported each year in the United States, and many more are likely to go unreported.
Ticks are small, 8-legged creatures that can be difficult to see. Deer ticks «which can carry the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria that causes Lyme disease «are especially small. Young «nymphs» are about the size of poppy seeds. Adult deer ticks are not much larger – about the size of a sesame seed.
A tick bite can give you Lyme disease or another infection. Symptoms can include fever, headache, muscle or joint pain, and extreme fatigue. Usually, people with this disease have an expanding red rash that sometimes resembles a bull’s eye. «The rash is usually mild, not painful or itchy, so people may not realize they are sick.» If left untreated, the infection can spread and cause rashes on other parts of the body. Some people may develop neurological problems, arthritis, or other disorders.
Most disease-causing tick bites occur in the spring and summer months, when ticks are most active and when ticks are most active.
people spend more time outdoors.
So watch out for ticks! Get in the habit of watching out for ticks when you venture outdoors.