Here in Michigan we seem to be seeing a lot of ticks this year and not just outside. We have found them crawling around the house and through the dirty laundry. I nearly freaked when I was combing the 4-year-old’s hair and the comb became stuck on a big black tick that was fastened to her scalp. Luckily, those aren’t the ticks that carry Lyme disease.

Lyme disease is transmitted to humans by the bite of infected deer ticks, which are typically smaller than dog ticks and brown in color. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and about 20,000 Americans contact the disease every year. While reports of Lyme disease have come from nearly all states, over 98 percent of the reported cases are from coastal New England, the Mid-Atlantic States, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and northern California.


Brown Dog Ticks
A. Engorged Female
B. Female
C. Male
Black-Legged Ticks (Deer Ticks)
D. Larvae
E. Nymphs
F. Males
G. Females
H. Engorged Female

Initially a rash may develop where the tick bite occurred. It begins as a small red spot and grows larger. The center of the rash is called erythema migrans and may fade, creating a "bull's eye" or ring appearance.

Flu like symptoms including fever, chills, headaches, stiff neck, fatigue, muscle aches, and joint pain are common. If Lyme disease goes untreated, it can spread to other parts of the body, causing arthritis and problems with the heart or the nervous system. Trouble concentrating, loss of memory, muscle weakness, tingling and numbness in the arms and legs can occasionally be caused by late-stage Lyme diseas.

Lab test can confirm if you have the disease in its later stages. However, in the early stages your symptoms and medical history are looked at to diagnose Lyme disease.

Antibiotics usually cure early stage Lyme disease. The Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) came up with new guidelines in November, stating, "95 percent of cases of Lyme disease are cured with 10 to 28 days of oral antibiotics." However, some doctors still feel that long-term antibiotic treatment, over 30 days, may be necessary.

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