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Jun 21, 2023 · Lyme Disease Rash, or Erythema Migrans (EM) Rash. A common sign of a tick bite with Lyme disease is a distinctive bull's-eye rash known as erythema migrans. This rash is characterized by a central red spot surrounded by a clear area and an outer ring of redness. This rash typically appears within three to 30 days after a tick bite.
- Overview
- Which ticks transmit Lyme disease?
- Blacklegged tick
- Western blacklegged tick
- How to know if a tick bite will turn into Lyme disease
- Next steps if a person finds a tick on their body
- When to contact a doctor for a tick bite
- Summary
Ticks are small bugs that can carry a variety of bacteria or viruses, including Lyme disease. Though there are many types of ticks, two carry Lyme disease and are identifiable by their color and markings.
Ticks are members of the spider family and are arachnids, not insects. They are crawling bugs that begin life as very small eggs, and they then grow into larvae, nymphs, and adults.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), ticks at the nymph stage are usually the size of a poppy seed. Adult ticks can be about the size of a sesame seed.
When they feed, their body swells with the blood, altering their appearance. Their body becomes larger and takes on a brown or grey hue.
There are hundreds of species of ticks worldwide, but only a few bite humans and transmit the bacteria that causes Lyme disease.
According to the CDC the two ticks that can cause Lyme disease include the blacklegged tick and the western blacklegged tick.
The blacklegged tick, also called the deer tick, lives in the northeastern, central, eastern, and southern United States. This tick stays active as long as temperatures are above freezing.
The western blacklegged tick lives along the Pacific coast of the United States and in bordering states. Most often found along deer trails and in fallen leaves, needles, or branches, it has also been found on wooden park benches and tables.
The CDC states that at the nymph stage, these ticks are the size of a poppy seed and adults are the size of a sesame seed.
Typically, female blacklegged ticks measure less than one-eighth of an inch, with males being slightly smaller. But they can grow to over a quarter inch after feeding.
The western blacklegged tick bears a similar appearance to the blacklegged tick, but the body is more elongated.
This tick in the nymph stage is about the size of a poppy seed and can be difficult to see and identify. They have brown legs with a brownish-colored body.
Females are about one-eighth of an inch in length, with a dark reddish body and black shield behind the head. When females have fed, they can grow to over three-eighths of an inch in size.
Male western blacklegged ticks are brownish-black and a little smaller than females. They do not grow when they feed.
It may not be possible to know if a tick bite will develop into Lyme disease.
However, the CDC states that in 70–80% of people who contract the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, a rash will appear within 3–30 days following the tick bite. This rash is called erythema migrans (EM).
The appearance of an EM rash can vary widely, but it generally presents as a circle surrounding the bite.
The rash expands over several days, as it clears, often reaching a diameter of 12 inches or more. It may take on the appearance of a target or bulls-eye.
Removing a tick must be a careful and slow procedure to ensure the head comes out along with the body.
To remove a tick, a person should use clean, fine-tipped tweezers and grip the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible.
They should then pull upward, steadily and with even pressure.
If possible, they should avoid twisting or jerking the tick as they pull. This is because it can leave the mouth parts in the skin.
If the mouth parts break off and remain in the skin, a person can try to gently remove them with tweezers. If it is not possible to remove the mouth parts, they should leave the wound alone and let it heal.
After removing the tick, they should dispose of it in one of the following ways:
A person should contact a doctor after a tick bite if they develop symptoms of Lyme disease, such as the rash.
If a rash, fever, or flu-like symptoms develops within a few weeks after removing the tick, see a doctor and let them know about the tick bite.
Ticks are tiny bugs in the spider family that live in wooded areas, lawns, and shrubs. There are many species of tick, but two contract and carry the bacteria that causes Lyme disease.
The blacklegged tick lives in the northeastern, eastern, central, and southern U.S., while the western blacklegged tick lives along the Pacific coast and neighboring states. These ticks contract Lyme disease from small or large mammals when they feed, then transmit it to humans when they bite.
Due to their size, it can be challenging to identify a tick. All ticks have eight legs and typically have dark bodies. Females are typically larger than males.
The most common indication of Lyme disease is a rash that forms into a circle around the tick bite, presenting as a target or bullseye. A doctor should examine a person if they develop any rash, fever, or flu-like symptoms following removal of a tick.
- Karen Veazey
Feb 10, 2023 · Lyme disease is an illness caused by borrelia bacteria. Humans usually get Lyme disease from the bite of a tick carrying the bacteria. Ticks that can carry borrelia bacteria live throughout most of the United States. But Lyme disease is most common in the upper Midwest and the northeastern and mid-Atlantic states.
Apr 30, 2024 · There are approximately half a million new Lyme disease cases each year in the US. Lyme disease is a multi-system bacterial infection transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected deer tick. Ticks can transmit numerous different pathogens. Every age is at risk for contracting Lyme disease and tickborne illness.
People also ask
Can ticks transmit Lyme disease?
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Lyme disease is difficult to diagnose because symptoms are not consistent and may mimic other conditions. The primary symptom is a rash, but it may not be present in up to 20% of cases. Diagnosis for Lyme disease must be made by a healthcare provider experienced in recognizing Lyme disease. Diagnosis is usually based on symptoms and a history ...
Adult ticks can also infect humans, but are easier to spot and remove. Not all ticks are infected. Because tick studies have only been done in a relatively few places, in most of the US, tick infection rates are unknown. Even in places where ticks generally do not carry Lyme, there may be hotspots of infection depending on local conditions.
Jan 20, 2023 · The Lyme disease bacteria causing human infection in the United States, Borrelia burgdorferi and, rarely, B. mayonii, are spread to people through the bites of infected ticks. Borrelia burgdorferi is spread primarily by the blacklegged tick (or deer tick, lxodes scapularis) in the northeastern, mid-Atlantic, and north-central United States, and ...
