Lyme disease

Lyme disease is an infectious disease caused by the Lyme bacteria. That bacterium can only enter the body through a tick bite. Lyme disease is usually treatable with antibiotics. The earlier you catch it, the better and faster the disease can be treated. You can contract Lyme disease if you are bitten by a tick infected with the Lyme bacteria. Ticks are mainly found in forests, dunes, heathland, sheltered meadows, but also in parks and gardens. Ticks are present all year round, but most people are bitten in the period from March to October. After 3 days to 2 months, a red ring or spot may appear on the skin around the site of the tick bite. This does not always happen. You can get Lyme disease even without the appearance of the red ring or spot. You may also have a flu-like feeling with, for example, fever, headache and joint pain. In the later stages of the disease, there is a chance of paralysis of facial muscles, severe pain in an arm or leg, double vision, loss of strength in arms and/or legs, painful or swollen joints, a tendency to faint and heart problems. If the bite is treated with antibiotics within 3 to 4 months, the disease is usually curable. Damage caused to the joints and nervous system does not always fully recover. Even at a later stage, the doctor will treat with antibiotics. Full recovery is sometimes no longer possible at this stage.

One cannot be vaccinated against Lyme disease