Lyme Disease 101

A blacklegged tick.

This spring and summer is expected to have high rates of Lyme disease. Here's what us Montclairions need to know...

New Jersey has one of the highest rates of Lyme disease in America. In fact, in 2009, 95% of all Lyme cases were reported from twelve states, New Jersey being at the top of the list. Additionally, you can increase your risk of getting Lyme if you are in the outdoors (like gardening, hunting, and hiking).

For starters, there are typically around 300,000 cases a year. The rates of Lyme disease have been climbing over the last decade. As seen in the graph below, the number of Lyme disease cases have doubled from 2001 to 2015.

Lyme disease cases in 2001 and 2015.

So...what is Lyme disease?

Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne illness in America. It is spread to humans by blacklegged ticks, also know as Ixodes scapularis. What happens is that an infected tick attaches to a human, and transmits the Lyme and various pathogens into the bloodstream. After the tick has infected the human, it is typical to experience flu-like symptoms and arthritis.

But what is it about Lyme disease that is actually making you sick? Lyme disease is caused by the infection of the bacterium Borrelia burgdoferi, which is transmitted to the human by the infected tick.

Ticks tend to be very small, at around 2.7mm in length. Places where ticks tend to be found include the scalp, ears, armpits, and groin area.

A blacklegged tick in comparison to a human hand.

Often times, people are bitten by ticks and don't even know it. But what do you do if you do find a tick? Don't panic! Use tweezers to remove the tick, and then do some research. Here is where Lyme maps are useful. Use a Lyme map to identify if Lyme is a problem in the community that you are in. In other words, you check to see the chances of you actually getting Lyme.

A Lyme map created by Yale students based on data from 2004-2007.

Next, you want to save the tick. Put it in a plastic bag, and keep it for future lab tests to see if that tick has Lyme. Luckily, ticks do not need to be alive in order to test them for Lyme. Lastly, you need to monitor your own health and decide if you need to see a doctor. If symptoms persist, it is best to seek medical help.

There is no "cure" to chronic Lyme disease. The goal for these patients is to get the pathogens down and support the immune system, not necessarily to completely rid themselves of the pathogens. This is where IV antibiotics (AKA intravenous antibiotics) are common. Here, an IV is set up and antibiotics are infused into the patient.

Intravenous antibiotics.

But what happens if Lyme goes undiagnosed? If not treated early, the disease will spread and may go unnoticed for a long period of time. Weeks or years later, nervous, cerebral, muscular, digestion, skin, joint, or heart problems may arise. Symptoms may even appear and disappear as time goes by. This untreated Lyme becomes known as a condition called chronic Lyme disease (CLD, also known as post-treatment Lyme disease). It is very hard to resolve at this stage.

What's the takeaway message here? Stay protected and stay aware!