Lyme Disease Contagious – Is Lyme Disease Contagious?

Lyme disease is an inflammatory condition that is contracted only through the bite of a deer tick. Ticks develop the bacteria Borrelia from sucking the blood on infected mice and deer. Ticks then pass this on to other mammals, such as people, by biting them. A deer tick is roughly the size of a sesame seed; the males are entirely black with the somewhat bigger females being red at the end of their torsos.

Should you discover a deer tick on your body, you will need to remove it without delay since it takes a complete 24 hours for the Borrelia bacteria to transfer to the person. Use a tweezers to extract the tick but be cautious to also remove the head, if you merely take off the torso but the head remains it will continue to suck blood and your risk for being exposed to Lyme disease is still the same. When removing, never twist or crush the tick, the objective is to remove it undamaged so as little between your and tick happens transmission between your and tick. Set the tick in a plastic baggie and schedule a time with a doctor to have it tested for the Lyme bacteria as soon as possible.

You may ask yourself, “Is Lyme disease contagious?” Quite simply, Lyme disease can not be spread among people, you can only get it from ticks. Some people think it is a contagious disease since the symptoms are incredibly similar to another very familiar illness, influenza. In fact, about 14,000 cases of Lyme disease get reported each year while doctors believe that about one in ten cases ever get reported. Most people experience flu like symptoms that then subside and they then go a long time before experiencing any further symptoms, so most people just assume they had the flu and that any new symptoms must be due to some unconnected factor.

The very first symptoms of Lyme disease are flu like symptoms of chills, headaches, a fever, fatigue and muscle pain. These symptoms make people ask “Is Lyme disease contagious?” The one symptom that sets Lyme disease apart from the flu is the rash that appears at the spot of the tick bite. A red spot surrounded by a red circular rash shows up at the spot of the tick bite and appears on 80% of people who have been bitten by an infected deer tick; the rash appears as a bull’s eye.

The most common treatment right after a deer tick bite is antibiotics if the tick is determined to carry Lyme disease and was on the person for more than 24 hours. Antibiotics are effective if the bite is caught within 72 hours. To conclude if you have contracted Lyme disease, blood tests are run that look for the antibodies to the Borrelia bacteria. If diagnosed in the first couple days, Lyme disease is eradicated with the antibiotics. But if it is not caught in time, Lyme disease can develop into a much more serious condition.

If left undiagnosed, Lyme disease can become more dangerous symptoms like: pain, numbness and paralysis of the facial muscles. Other symptoms are decreased concentration, headaches and memory disorders, vision and sleep problems, and joint inflammation and pain. It can take weeks to months before these symptoms are experienced. Symptoms can evolve to heart troubles, arthritis, damaged motor skills and even encephalitis. It is very possible to catch Lyme disease again even if you already have it, so do not assume you are immune.

Preventative actions are the best way to deal with Lyme disease before heading outside and taking the time to review your body when you return to your house. The major thing you can do when heading out into tall grassy regions or heavily forested places is to wear pants and to tuck the pants into your socks. Ticks like to hang out on grasses and will get on you when the grass brushes up against your legs. Long sleeved shirts and hats will give protection, along with bug repellent. Wear bright colored outfits so it is easier to see ticks on your outfit and once inside, study your whole body, including your scalp for ticks. Immediately wash and dry your clothes, the hot temperature of the dryer will kill off any ticks that may have survived the washing machine. Treat pets with insect repellents specially formulated for pets and also check their bodies for ticks from time to time. For a brief period, a Lyme disease vaccine was offered but was discontinued in 2002 due to a combination of controversy and poor media coverage.

The best way to fight Lyme disease is to percent tick bites. Choose proper attire if venturing outdoors and take the time to review your body for ticks once you get back. If you do find a tick on you, it is imperative to move quickly to diminish your chance of being exposed to Lyme disease. While it isn’t necessary to ask “Is Lyme disease contagious?” it is imperative to appreciate the symptoms because they are similar to influenza and are tricky to relate because they can strike many months after your exposure to the bacteria.