Lyme Disease

Facts

Lyme disease is an infection caused by a bacteria transmitted via an infected deer tick. The infected tick needs to be attached to a person for at least 24-48 hours in order to transmit the infection.

A tick bite can cause an irritation rash which is different from the Lyme rash. The irritation rash is red around the tick bite and occurs immediately and up to 48 hours after the bite.

The Lyme rash (Erythema chronica migrans) occurs 3-30 days after a tick bite. This is a red, flat or raised rash which expands over several days to weeks to greater than 5 cm in diameter usually with partial clearing in the center. The rash may be itchy or burning.

Deer ticks are most commonly found clinging to vegetation in brushy, wooded grassy areas with higher tick populations found in coastal areas. Deer ticks are mostly found from May through early fall.

Questions to Consider

• Type and size of tick?
  A deer tick is very small (about the size of a pinhead).
• Was the tick attached?
  If the tick was not attached, there is no risk of transmission.
• How long was the tick attached?
  If the tick was attached for less than 48 hours there is minimal risk of transmission.

How to Remove a Tick:

• Clean the area with alcohol
• Using sharp tweezers, grab the tick as close to the skin as possible and apply steady firm pressure to lift the tick up and away from the skin.
• Clean skin once more with alcohol once the tick is removed.
• Watch for signs of infection, i.e. red area on skin that is expanding in size.

Dont's for Pulling Out a Tick:

• Don’t burn a tick. (You risk burning skin.)
• Don’t use Vaseline, nail polish, etc.

Prevention:

• Wear light colored clothing (which makes it easier to see ticks) with long pants that can be tucked into socks if in tick-infested area.
• Check body for ticks each evening
• Spray clothes with 0.5% Permethrin.
• DEET applied directly to the skin is effective but low concentrations should be used for children. Skiddadle can be used.