Early Symptoms of Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection, caused by a bacterium, called Borrelia burgdorferi. These bacteria are spread through the bite of certain types of ticks. Ticks are small, blood-sucking ectoparasites, varying in color and size. They can be found in places such as heathland or forests. They attach to your skin and feed on blood. Before feeding, adult females are about 3-5 mm in length and dark brown or red in color. When they suck blood, they become as large as a grape. In the pre-adult stage, ticks are smaller in size and lighter in color. A tick bite appears like a lump with a small scab on the skin surface. Most people develop a reddish, ring-shaped skin rash. It may be the only sign of infection. Lyme disease was first recognized in 1975, when a number of cases occurred in a town, namely Old Lyme in Connecticut, USA. Today, this disease is spread in a wide range of places including North America, parts of Europe, Australia, Japan and China.

Transmission of Lyme Disease

A bacterium causing Lyme disease is carried in birds, squirrels, mice and other small animals. When ticks feed on these infected animals, this bacterium is transmitted to ticks. If humans pass by the tall grasses of wooded areas or low bushes, then ticks attach to their skin. Then the disease is transmitted to humans through the bites of infected ticks. Once the bacteria invade the skin, they eventually pass through the bloodstream. Lyme disease is not directly transmitted from person to person by the means of kissing or touching.

Symptoms of Lyme Disease

Generally, Lyme disease affects various body parts and hence, its symptoms vary widely. The symptoms of Lyme disease are generally described in three stages. All the patients don’t have the symptoms of each stage. One of the early symptoms of Lyme disease is development of a circular rash, known as erythema migrans (EM). This rash is seen in about 70-80% of infected people and it starts within duration of three days to one month. The rash typically appears as a small, red bump at the site of tick bite. It can be seen in the belt area, groin or behind the knee. Within next few days, the redness expands, forming a rash. It looks like a bull’s eye, with a red center surrounded by a clear area with red lining. Some other early symptoms of Lyme disease are flu-like symptoms such as chills, fatigue, headache, fever and body pain. There may be swollen lymph nodes and muscle and joint pain.

If the infection is left untreated, the second stage of the disease lasts up to several months with some symptoms such as multiple skin rashes, nervous system disorders, extreme fatigue, arthritis and heart palpitations.

If the infection continues to be untreated, then the third stage of the disease lasts for several months to years. Some of the symptoms such as chronic arthritis or neurological symptoms can be seen during this stage. If this infection is received during pregnancy, then it can cause some adverse effects on the fetus, including a possibility of stillbirth. Hepatitis, irregular heartbeat, eye inflammation and severe fatigue are some less common symptoms of Lyme disease.

Diagnosis of Lyme Disease

The variable signs and symptoms of Lyme disease are usually nonspecific. Similar symptoms can also be observed in various joint disorders, viral infections, chronic fatigue syndrome, muscle pain (fibromyalgia) and even in depression. Hence, an accurate diagnosis is very important to seek an appropriate treatment. Some of the laboratory investigations prescribed for the diagnosis of Lyme disease are Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) test, Western blot test and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). These tests are more reliable a few weeks after the infection. Within this period, the antibodies are developed within the body.

Treatment for Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is treated with oral antibiotics such as cefuroxime or amoxicillin for adults and pregnant or breast-feeding women, and doxycycline for children and adults. In case the disease has progressed, intravenous antibiotics are recommended. Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen or aspirin are helpful to manage the symptoms of arthritis seen in Lyme disease.