Lyme Disease (LD) is an infection caused by the spiral bacterium known as Borrelia burgdorferi. LD is a tick-borne disease.  You cannot get LD from  another person -you get it from a tick bite. People most at risk for LD are those who spend time in grassy and wooded areas during the active tick season (April to October); this includes parks within cities, urban areas, and residential houses nestled in wooded areas. 

Learn how to prevent and control your risk of LD.

This bacterium is spread to people by the bite of a black-legged tick, Ixodes scapularis.  Ticks must be attached to the body for at least 24 hours before they pass the LD bacteria to humans.  Not every tick bite causes LD.  A person can get LD more than once.  Thoroughly check your body for tick attachments after spending time in grassy or wooded areas where ticks live.  If you noticed a tick bite, immediately remove the tick with tweezers.

Natural Cycle

Animals and ticks maintain B. burgdorferi infection in a natural cycle.  Mice carry B. burgdorferi in nature; ticks become infected when feeding on infected mice.  Infected mice do not become ill.  Once infected, ticks can spread the bacteria by feeding on other mice and on animals such as deer, or humans.    

Symptoms

Early symptoms of LD appear 3 to 32 days after the bite of an infected tick which was attached for at least 24 hours.

 Figure: Erythema migrans

Most people with LD will get a rash called “erythema migrans” where they were bitten.  The rash starts as a small red round area, which usually gets bigger and can reach two or more inches across.  The center of the rash may clear giving a “bull’s eye” appearance.

 

Other symptoms during the early stage of LD include:

• Chills

• Fever

• Headache

• Tiredness

• Stiff neck

• Joint pain

• Swollen lymph nodes

• Rash that spreads to other parts of the body