'Tick Talk' at the Camden Public Library on May 1

Dr. Beatrice Szantyr of Lincoln, Maine will present a slide show and discussion on Lyme disease at the Camden Public Library at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 1. She will focus on awareness, risk factors, prevention, and symptomology of the disease. Dr. Szantyr is a board certified internist and pediatrician who has spent several years researching and educating about Lyme disease in New England. Lyme disease is the #1 vector borne disease in Maine and the United States!

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that causes a rash and flu symptoms, and can affect the joints, heart, and nervous system. Lyme disease was first recognized in 1975 after a cluster of arthritis cases appeared in rural communities surrounding Lyme, Connecticut. Cases have now been diagnosed throughout the US and Europe, with particular concentrations in New England and the Middle Atlantic states. Lyme disease can usually be cured with antibiotics, especially in the early stages.

Lyme disease is transmitted from bacteria carried by ticks. Lyme disease is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, the spiral-shaped bacteria that are carried by Ixodes ticks. Humans can be infected when bitten by infected Ixodes ticks, which are associated with white-tailed deer and the white-footed mouse. People who live or work in areas surrounded by woods or overgrown brush, and those who visit natural areas for recreational purposes are at greatest risk for acquiring Lyme disease. In the U.S., ticks thrive during the warm-weather months of April through September. Ticks favor the moist, shaded environment provided in leaf litter or low-lying vegetation in wooded, brushy, or overgrown grassy habitats.

After being outdoors, inspect yourself for ticks. Adult ticks that transmit Lyme disease are not much larger than a pinhead. Biting ticks in the nymphal stage are even smaller. They tend to hide in protected areas, such as the scalp, groin, or armpits. If you find a tick, remove it properly. Take a shower, and use a washcloth to dislodge unattached ticks from your skin (it takes several hours for the tick to attach once it lands on the skin). If you find an attached tick, try to grasp its head with fine tweezers, and remove the entire tick without crushing it. Wash the affected area and your hands afterwards. If there are parts of the mouth remaining in the skin, leave them alone, disinfect the skin, and wait for the parts to be expelled naturally. Lyme disease is most easily diagnosed if the characteristic rash appears. Your doctor will look for a characteristic rash of at least 5 cm, especially if you know that you were exposed to a tick. Unfortunately, sometimes the rash does not appear, or may pass unnoticed.

According to the PDR website (Physicians Desk Reference), laboratory tests can be helpful in confirming a diagnosis. It may be necessary for a doctor to examine bacteria from your rash to make a diagnosis. Unfortunately, making a definitive diagnosis in this way is problematic in later stages after the rash has cleared, or for those who never develop a rash. Lyme disease is usually completely curable, especially when treated in its early stages. Patients usually get well rapidly and completely. When treated in later stages, most patients do recover, but it may take longer and can occasionally require another course of oral or intravenous antibiotics. A small percentage of such patients continue to have persisting joint or neurological problems despite extended treatment.

A bout with Lyme disease does not protect against reinfection from another tick bite. If you continue to live, work, or visit outdoor areas where ticks live, ask your doctor about whether you would be a good candidate for the Lyme disease vaccine. Find out the latest information on Lyme disease in Maine and how you can learn to work and play in our wonderful environment safely at the Camden Public Library on May 1.