Lyme Disease is the most common vector borne disease in the U.S.
Transmitted by deer ticks
In general, ticks need to be attached for 36 to 48 hours before they can transmit Lyme disease bacteria
This is not contagious
Early Signs and Symptoms (3 to 30 Days After Tick Bite)
- Fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle and joint aches, and swollen lymph nodes may occur in the absence of rash
Erythema migrans rash
o Occurs in approximately 70% to 80% of infected persons
o Begins at the site of a tick bite (average is about 7 days)
o Target or “bull’s-eye” appearance
Later Signs and Symptoms (weeks to months after tick bite)
- Severe headaches and neck stiffness
- Facial palsy
- Arthritis with severe joint pain
- Intermittent pain in tendons, muscles, joints, and bones
- Heart palpitations or an irregular heart beat
- Episodes of dizziness or shortness of breath
- Inflammation of the brain and spinal cord
- Nerve pain
- Shooting pains, numbness, or tingling in the hands or feet
The symptoms of stages 1 and 2 can overlap.
Stage 3: Late disseminated Lyme disease
Late disseminated Lyme disease occurs when the infection hasn’t been treated in stages 1 and 2.
This stage is characterized by:
- brain disorders, such as encephalopathy, which can cause short-term memory loss, difficulty concentrating, mental fogginess, problems with following conversations and sleep disturbance
- numbness in the arms, legs, hands, or feet
Diagnosis:
- ELISA is used to detect antibodies against B. burgdorferi.
- Western blot is used to confirm a positive ELISA test.
o Antibodies can take several weeks to develop, so patients may test negative if infected only recently.
Nursing Care
- Analgesics
- Antipyretics
- Promote Rest
- Provide the emotional support
- 10-14 day course of oral antibiotics
Post-Lyme disease syndrome can affect mobility and cognitive skills. Treatment is primarily focused on easing pain and discomfort. Most people recover, but it can take months or years.
| Tips |
Avoid areas where ticks might be, wear protective clothing. Check for ticks and humans and pets. They feed during the spring and summer.
Make your yard unfriendly to ticks by clearing wooded areas, keeping underbrush to a minimum, and putting woodpiles in areas with lots of sun.