Lyme disease is caused by a bacterial organism that is transmitted to humans via the bite of an infected tick. Most people bitten by an infected tick develop a characteristic skin rash around the area of the bite. The rash may feel hot to the touch, and vary in size, shape, and color, but it will often have a "bull's eye" appearance (a red ring with a clear center). However, there are those who will not develop the rash, which makes Lyme disease hard to diagnose because its symptoms and signs mimic those of many other diseases.
Seven to 10 days following an infected tick's bite, the first stage of Lyme disease begins with flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, headaches, fatigue, muscle aches, and joint pain.
Neurological complications most often occur in the second stage of Lyme disease, with numbness, pain, weakness, Bell's palsy (paralysis of the facial muscles), visual disturbances, and meningitis symptoms such as fever, stiff neck, and severe headache. Other problems, which may not appear until weeks, months, or years after a tick bite, include decreased concentration, irritability, memory and sleep disorders, and nerve damage in the arms and legs.
Lyme Disease Foundation P.O. Box 332 Tolland, CT 06084-0332 info@lyme.org http://www.lyme.org Tel: 860-870-0070 800-886-LYME (5963) Fax: 860-870-0080 |
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious
Diseases (NIAID) National Institutes of Health, DHHS 6610 Rockledge Drive, MSC 6612 Bethesda, MD 20892-6612 http://www.niaid.nih.gov Tel: 301-496-5717 |
National Institute of Arthritis and
Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) National Institutes of Health, DHHS 31 Center Dr., Rm. 4C02 MSC 2350 Bethesda, MD 20892-2350 NIAMSinfo@mail.nih.gov http://www.niams.nih.gov Tel: 301-496-8190 877-22-NIAMS (226-4267) |
Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDCP) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 1600 Clifton Road, N.E. Atlanta, GA 30333 inquiry@cdc.gov http://www.cdc.gov Tel: 800-311-3435 404-639-3311/404-639-3543 |
Arthritis Foundation 1330 West Peachtree Street Suite 100 Atlanta, GA 30309 help@arthritis.org http://www.arthritis.org Tel: 800-283-7800 404-872-7100 404-965-7888 Fax: 404-872-0457 |
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Last updated February 13, 2007