What is Lyme Disease? Lyme disease is an infection, or illness, caused by the corkscrew-shaped bacterium (spirochete) Borrelia burgdorferi. The bacterium is transmitted from ticks to white-footed mice, the white-tailed deer, other mammals, and birds to dogs, horses. Ticks feed by inserting their mouths into the skin of a host and slowly taking in blood. The bacterial transmission does not usually occur until the tick has been attached for at least 36 hours.

Is Lyme disease found in Maine? The greatest concentrations of Lyme disease cases are in the Northeast, the upper Midwest, and Pacific Northwest. In Maine, the greatest risk of contracting Lyme disease is during spring and summer months. June and July are the times that the nymphal ticks tend to feed and transmit the bacteria. Nymphal ticks are tiny (less than 2mm) and are not easily noticed on people. Adult ticks are often found in the late fall and can also transmit the bacteria. Because they are larger they are more likely to be found and removed.

Protecting yourself from Lyme disease You can decrease the chances of being bitten by a tick by following these simple precautions:

Signs and symptoms of Lyme disease: Many of the symptoms of Lyme disease are similar to those of other diseases. The fever, muscle aches, and fatigue can be mistaken for the flu or infectious mononucleosis. Joint pain can be mistaken for other types of arthritis. Your doctor will diagnose Lyme disease based on history of possible exposure, symptoms, and by running blood tests that detect whether the patient has antibodies to the bacterium that causes Lyme.

The early stage of Lyme disease is usually marked by one or more of the following signs and symptoms: fatigue, chills and fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, swollen lymph nodes, and or a characteristic skin rash (called erythema migrans). It is a red circular patch that appears at the site of the tick bite usually within 3 days to 1 month after the bite of an infected tick. The patch then grows larger, and sometimes many patches appear. Common sites are the thighs, trunk, groin, and armpits. The center of the rash may clear as it enlarges, resulting in what looks like a "bull's-eye." The rash may be warm, but it is not usually painful.

Some symptoms of Lyme disease may not appear until weeks, months, or years after a tick bite. These symptoms may include, arthritis, nervous system problems such as numbness, pain, facial nerve paralysis and meningitis (fever, stiff neck, and severe headache), and/or irregularities of the heart rhythm (rare).

Treatment for Lymes disease and prognosis: The treatment is generally oral antibiotics. Patients treated in the early stages with antibiotics usually recover completely and quickly. Most patients who are treated in the later stages of the disease also respond well to antibiotics. Residual or recurrent symptoms are possible.

Vaccination: A safe and effective vaccine is available and should be considered for persons aged 15-70 years who engage in activities (e.g. recreational, property maintenance, occupational, or leisure) that result in frequent or prolonged exposure to tick-infested habitat. The benefit of receiving the vaccination beyond the above identified population is uncertain. The vaccine primary series requires 3 doses spread out through a year with the likelihood of a need for periodic boosting after one year. Other vaccines are currently in development. Decisions regarding vaccine use should be made by a person in consultation with his/her health care provider, and should be based on an assessment of individual risk based on geographic exposure and a person's activities and behaviors relating to tick exposure.

Resources:   Maine Bureau of Health, Dept. of Health and Human Services, Center for Disease Control and Prevention