Woodticks

Causing Lyme Disease Worldwide!

Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected wood ticks also called 'deer ticks'. Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans. If left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system, and even cause death.

Lyme disease is diagnosed based on symptoms, physical findings (e.g., rash), and the possibility of exposure to infected ticks; laboratory testing is helpful if used correctly and performed with validated methods. Most cases of Lyme disease can be treated successfully with a few weeks of antibiotics. However, those untreated cases develop into Chronic Lyme Disease resulting in debilitating conditions often not diagnosed correctly. Steps to prevent Lyme disease include using insect repellent, removing ticks promptly, applying pesticides, and reducing tick habitat. The ticks that transmit Lyme disease can occasionally transmit other tick-borne diseases as well.

How Dangerous is Lyme Disease?