Tiny Terrors; The Truth Behind the Disease that Many Don’t Know

Lyme disease is a zoonotic disease which an individual obtains by being bitten by a black-legged tick infected with the bacterium Borrelia Burgdorferi. Although many people have heard of Lyme disease, many do not know how common the disease is and how difficult it can be to recover from. Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne illness and 300,000 people in the United States contract Lyme Disease every year.
 The early symptoms of Lyme disease can start anywhere from 3-30 days after an individual has been bitten. The most recognizable symptom is a red rash called erythema migrans which looks like a bull’s-eye and gets larger over the course of several days. Other notable symptoms include fever, headache, muscle soreness, and swollen lymph nodes. If these early symptoms are not caught and treated, then more severe symptoms will develop. These include arthritis, nervous system complications, and heart issues.

---

Author

Julia Kole
​Outbreak! 2020

​After treatment, an individual will often continue to suffer from painful symptoms for months or even years. This is called post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS) and there is no treatment. The earlier someone is diagnosed with Lyme disease, the less intense their symptoms are and the more effective their treatment will be.
            Anyone can get Lyme disease, so it is important to know how to stay safe. The best way to avoid contacting Lyme disease is through prevention. When going into areas that may contain ticks, such as wooded or grassy habitats, one can use a repellent that contains DEET or permethrin. These have been found to provide protection against ticks. Permethrin products should go on clothes and not skin. Another safety measure is to wear long sleeves and tuck your pants into your socks. This way ticks do not have the opportunity to reach your skin. Once a trip into such habitats is finished, individuals should check their bodies for ticks and remove them if found. The effects of Lyme disease are agonizing and ongoing, so preventing the disease before contraction is the best way to keep you and the ones you love safe.
 
Works Cited
 
“Lyme Disease.” Mass.gov, www.mass.gov/service-details/lyme-disease.
“Lyme Disease.” MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 17 Aug. 2020, medlineplus.gov/lymedisease.html#:~:text=Lyme disease is a bacterial,can help you recover quickly.
“Lyme Disease.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16 Dec. 2019, www.cdc.gov/lyme/index.html.
“Lyme Disease Stem Cells Treatment: Swiss Medica.” Lyme Disease Stem Cells Treatment | Swiss Medica, Swiss Medica, 9 Dec. 2019, www.startstemcells.com/lyme-disease-treatment.html.
Skerrett, Patrick J. “Lyme Disease 10 Times More Common than Thought.” Harvard Health Blog, 20 Aug. 2013, www.health.harvard.edu/blog/lyme-disease-10-times-more-common-than-thought-201308206621#:~:text=The 30,000 cases of Lyme,tick-borne disease each year.