Ticks are in the thick of it – Part II: Symptoms and complications of Lyme Disease

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From Part 1 of this 2 Part Series, we learned that the blood-thirsty tick is an arachnid (related to the spider and scorpion), who, through its bite, spreads a dangerous form of bacteria. In the Northeastern and Upper Midwestern parts of our country, the resulting illness, Lyme disease, has reached epidemic proportions in recent years.

In fact, Lyme disease is now considered the fastest growing infectious disease in the U.S. with only 10-12% of cases believed to be reported, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC tells us that reported Lyme disease cases have more than doubled since the organization began recording cases in 1991. As of 2007, 27,444 cases were reported in our country. In Illinois, reported Lyme disease numbers have gone up every year, from 35 cases in 2000 to 135 cases in 2011. 2012 and 2013 have seen huge gains greatly worrying authorities.

Lyme disease has even surpassed West Nile and HIV/AIDS in its growth. Of the total diseases transmitted by insects or arthropods found in our country, Lyme disease accounts for more than 95% of these vector-borne illnesses. Its cost to our society has become approximately $1 billion annually.
The recently researched disease was named after Old Lyme, Connecticut, where a number of cases were identified as recently as 1975. In 1978, Lyme disease was discovered to be a tick-borne disease.

The bacteria from the black-legged deer tick referred to as Borrelia Burgdorferi was named after Willy Burgdorfer, who identified the cause of the malady in 1981. While Lyme disease is found in almost every area of the world where there are heavily forested areas (home to the deer, who hosts the tick), the Northeastern states lead this country in largest reported numbers of Lyme disease. Minnesota and Wisconsin are forerunner states in the Upper Great Lakes Region, with their great numbers reported.

When at home or vacationing in the above states, do take precautions (see Part 1) when outdoors in a thick, grassy environment with/without a dog.
Cathy Segarra, Registered Nurse and Sun City/Huntley’s Centegra’s Wellness Center Program Manager, adds, “Prevention is key: If walking anywhere, cover yourself up.” She continues, “When finished walking, do [a full-body] tick check, take off your clothes and wash them, and shower.”

The percentage of infected ticks varies depending on where one was initially bitten. In more densely tick-populated states, the percentage might be as high as 37%. In 2012, a Winnebago County/Rockford Area research study revealed 1 in 5 ticks infected with Lyme disease. After attaching itself to its host, the tick can take 3 more days to feed fully.

If the tick is infected, the transmission chances increase with time, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Beginning at 0% bacteria transmission at 24 hours, 12% bacteria transmission at 48 hours, 79% bacteria transmission at 72 hours, and 94% bacteria transmission at 96 hours. Although Lyme disease itself is not spread from person to person, because the infected arachnids are very small, they often go unnoticed.

Many years ago, a tick was located on my face, but I dismissed it as a beauty mark. My husband discovered the tick and removed it quickly and correctly (see Part 1 ). Family members who share an environment with a person or pet who is infected can possibly have another person or pet in that same environment become a victim of another infected tick. This is why thorough human and animal tick checks cannot be overemphasized! Don’t forget to use prevention also on your pets, as discussed in Part 1.

Dr. Joe Frost, owner of an animal hospital in Rockford, tells us a common symptom of dog ticks: “The classic sign is a ‘shifting leg lameness’ where the dog will limp on one leg one week then another leg the next week.” He continues, “They [animal symptoms] are pretty nondescript signs…. They could be explained by hundreds of diseases….but now the tests are quick, accurate, and cheap.” The vet finishes with, “Some Lyme tests are even incorporated into the yearly Heartworm test as part of a ‘healthy screening’ so we pick up mild or ‘subclinical’ cases.” Dr. Frost tells us that doxycycline is used for 4 weeks. The prognosis for a full recovery is good for his canine patients.

Lyme disease does not discriminate by age or by sex for humans. The malady usually occurs 3 to 30 days after exposure to the infected tick. While symptoms vary from person to person, they may include: fatigue, headache, swollen lymph nodes and skin rash (a “bull’s eye appearance), chills and fever, and muscle and joint pain. Contact your physician for help. If your doctor needs aid in testing for the disease, have him contact McHenry County Department of Health and Communicable Disease Program at 815-334-4500. Most people who contract the disease have mild symptoms and then recover.

Catching cases in their early stages and treating patients with a few weeks of antibiotics usually prevents long-term complications, as well. However, 10 to 20% of cases treated early will have what is known as Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome. In this syndrome, 2-4 weeks of antibiotics still leaves the patient with lingering symptoms of pain, fatigue, or muscle and joint aches, sometimes lasting 6 months. Doctors may treat patients in similar ways to those with chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia.

If the initial infection was untreated, individuals may develop debilitating complications months or even years later. The difficult factor here is that the incubation period of Lyme disease from the onset of the infection until symptoms appear can be as short as days or as long as years. Three areas where disability may occur can be difficult to treat. They are: Neurological Disease (concentration, memory loss, mood swings); Heart Problems (heart rhythm irregularities: palpitations, slow pulse rate); and Arthritis (knee pain and swelling). Anti-inflammatory medications such as Ceftriaxone (research questioned) and Penicillin may be used to help in these serious complications. For more info on Lyme disease, visit www.mcdh.info

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