Definition (CDC)

Caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted through the bite of infected black-legged ticks. Symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and a skin rash called erythema migrans. If left untreated, the infection can spread to joints, heart, and nervous system

Stages of Lyme Disease:

  • Stage 1 is called localized Lyme disease. The bacteria have not yet spread throughout the body
  • Stage 2 is called early disseminated Lyme disease. The bacteria have begun to spread throughout the body
  • Stage 3 is called late disseminated Lyme disease. The bacteria have spread to distant sites such as the joints and nerves.

Statistics

  • Approximately 476,000 people get Lyme Disease each year in the United States

Risk Factors

  • Outdoor activities – including gardening, hunting, or hiking, in an area where Lyme disease occurs
  • Location– Lyme disease is found most often in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic from Maine to Maryland
  • Season– highest risk is between April and November
  • Outdoor Jobs– such as surveying, landscaping, forestry, and utility service

Prevention (CDC)

  • Use insect repellent
  • Avoid wooded and brushy areas with high grass and leaf litter
  • Check clothing for ticks after being outdoors
  • Shower and check body for ticks after being outdoors
  • Remove the tick from the skin as soon as possible
  • If fever or rash develops within several weeks of removing a tick, see your doctor

Vaccines

The CDC recommends that all adults keep their vaccinations up to date. Childhood immunizations may wear off after time and need a “booster shot,” and you are at risk for other diseases as an adult.

All adults need:

  • Influenza – recommended every year, age 6 months and older
  • Tdap – (if an adult did not receive it as an adolescent to protect against pertussis (whooping cough), and then a Td (tetanus, diphtheria) booster shot every 10 years.

Talk to your doctor about which vaccines are right for you.

COVID-19 and Lyme Disease

There is currently no sufficient evidence that people with Lyme Disease are at an increased risk of developing severe COVID-19 Symptoms.

Based on current evidence provided by the CDC:

  • Older adults are at the highest risk of getting sick from COVID-19
  • The risk of severe illness from COVID-19 increases as the number of underlying medical conditions a person has increases
  • Some people are at risk for severe COVID-19 because of where they live or work or lack of access to healthcare, including people from racial and ethnic minority groups and people with disabilities.

Resources

Support Groups