Is Lyme Disease Contagious? Get the Facts.

Lyme disease is an inflammatory disease this is only contracted though a deer tick's bite. Deer ticks contract the bacteria Borrelia from biting infected mice and deer. Ticks then pass this on to other mammals, like people, with their bite. A deer tick is approximately the size of a sesame seed; the males are totally black with the slightly larger females being red at the bottom of their torsos.

Should you locate a deer tick on your body, you will need to detach it right away because it needs a complete 24 hours for the Borrelia bacteria to transmit to the person. Only tweezers need to be used to take off the tick and take care to also take off the head, if you merely grab the body but the head remains it will go on to suck blood and possibly give you Lyme disease. And never crush or twist the tick, your purpose is to extract it undamaged so as little between your and tick occurs transmission between your and tick.

You may ask yourself, “Is Lyme disease contagious?” Well, you can relax because it is not spread from person to person in any way. One of the reasons that people are concerned about it being contagious is because the symptoms are especially similar to another especially common illness, influenza.The majority of people suffer flu like symptoms that last only a few days and afterwards it can be weeks before any other symptoms are experienced.

The first symptoms of Lyme disease are flu like symptoms of muscle pains, headaches, chills and a fever. These symptoms make people ask “Is Lyme disease contagious?” The one early stage symptom that differentiates Lyme disease from the flu is a rash that accompanies the tick bite. A red spot surrounded by a red circular rash appears at the place of the tick bite and appears on 80 percent of people who have been bitten by an infected tick; the rash resembles 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 find out if you have caught Lyme disease, a test the looks for the Borrelia bacteria in your blood stream will be run. If diagnosed in the very first days, Lyme disease is killed with the antibiotics. But if discovered too late, Lyme disease can be a lifelong illness where symptoms can show up every now and then.

The only true way you should be combating Lyme disease is with prevention before heading outside and taking the time to review your body after you return home. If you will be in a place that is thick with tall grasses or brush, tuck your pants into your socks. Wear pastel colored garments so it is easier to locate ticks on your outfit and once you come inside, check over your entire body, including your head for ticks. Treat pets with insect repellents specially formulated for pets and also check their bodies for ticks from time to time.

Preventive measures are the greatest way to defeat Lyme disease. Choose proper clothing if going outside and set aside the time to examine your body for ticks when you return home. If you do see a tick on your body, it is critical to act quickly to minimize your risk of catching Lyme disease. While you do not need to ask yourself “Is Lyme disease contagious?” it is essential to be on the lookout for its symptoms because they are much like to the flu and are tricky to connect because they can show up many months after your exposure to the bacteria.

This article here will tell you more about why people think Lyme disease is contagious and how to prevent this condition.