What is Lyme Disease?

What is Lyme Disease?

Lyme Disease is a bacterial illness transmitted to humans by ticks.

How do people contract Lyme Disease?

Most often, Lyme Disease is caused by tick bites. In the northeastern and north central United States, the deer or bear tick is usually responsible for transmitting the disease. On the Pacific Coast, it is usually the black-legged tick.

What are the symptoms of Lyme Disease?

Early signs and symptoms, which occur anywhere from 3 to thirty days after the tick bite, can be divided into two main categories: flu-like symptoms and a rash. Later signs and symptoms of Lyme Disease include joint pain, neurological problems, nausea, and diffuse rashes appearing on various areas of the body. For more information, see our blog post featuring a Lyme Disease Symptom Checklist.

How is Lyme Disease treated?

Most early detected cases of Lyme Disease can be treated successfully with a few weeks of antibiotics taken by mouth. However, if Lyme Disease is not diagnosed and left untreated, the infection can evolve into a ‘chronic’ form and spread to other parts of the body like the joints, heart, and nervous system. Patients with certain neurological or cardiac forms of the illness may require intravenous treatment, often through a PICC line. Have a PICC line already? Check out our ultra-soft, antimicrobial PICC Line Covers.

How can I prevent Lyme Disease?

The CDC recommends avoiding wooded and bushy areas with high grass, walking in the center of a trail, and using repellants that contain 20%-30% DEET.

Want to learn more?

Check out our blog posts on Lyme Disease.