American supermodel Bella Hadid recently opened up about her journey with Lyme disease and its consequences that she has been suffering from since her childhood. She is one of those struggling with the after-effects of the bite of an infected tick even several years after the incident. Happiest Health spoke to experts to further understand the condition as well as simple preventive measures to avoid it.
What is Lyme disease?
Lyme disease is an infection caused when a tick infected by the borrelia burgdorferi bacteria comes in contact with a human being. Dr John Paul M, consultant physician, travel medicine and infectious disease, Sparsh Hospital, Bengaluru, mentions that the infection is rarely seen in India. “All the reported cases in our country have been sporadic in people with travel history. It is not identified locally in India,” he emphasises. The tick-borne infection is endemic to specific states in the US, especially the northeastern and north-central regions.
Speaking of India, Dr Paritosh Baghel, senior consultant – internal medicine, S L Raheja Hospital Mahim – A Fortis Associate, Mumbai, shares, “The most significant tick-borne infection in our country is rickettsia. Scrub typhus is another indigenous infection.”
Soon after an infected tick bite, one can see signs of the illness. “The tick, which is tiny, latches onto the skin. Over the next two days, even the person affected can see the bite, as the bug engorges up to ten times its primary size,” says Dr Paul.
Symptoms of tickborne infection
Dr Paul highlights the classic initial symptoms of Lyme disease:
- Fever
- Headaches
- Myalgia (muscle aches and pain)
- Poor appetite
- Skin rashes called erythema migrans with typical bull’s eye appearance
The incubation period varies from three to 30 days. However, unless the doctor suspects possible exposure to tick bites, it can easily be mistaken for any other febrile (fever-related) illness, like dengue.
“When treated correctly, a majority of infected people recover in the initial phase,” says Dr Paul. However, as bacteria spreads to different body parts through blood, the symptoms vary. According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), if left untreated, the infection can spread to the heart, joints and nervous system. People can have neurological symptoms like facial palsy, altered sensorium (parts of the brain that receive and interpret sensory stimuli) and even Lyme arthritis (when the bacteria affects the body’s joints and leads to inflammation in the knees, hip and shoulder), said Dr Baghel. Moreover, the bacteria entering the heart tissues leads to Lyme carditis, a cardiac complication.
Diagnosis of Lyme disease
When a person comes up with typical symptoms of Lyme disease, doctors first look into their travel history. “We then ask about activities such as trekking, off-roading or wading through unmaintained places, possibly with an overgrowth of plants. We also check if the person is involved in clearing (agricultural) fields, where ticks can latch on,” Dr Paul shares.
He recalls the case of an individual with febrile illness as well as lung lesions, where Lyme disease was an incidental finding. “The condition is not easily picked up in India. As we hardly come across such cases, it leads to a diagnostic dilemma unless we know the travel history,” says Dr Baghel. He adds that disclosing the locations of recent trips to a doctor is crucial for accurate diagnosis.
Once the tick-borne infection is suspected, doctors recommend the Lyme Antibody (ELISA) test, where the antibody response against the bacteria borrelia burgdorferi is seen, said Dr Paul.
Is Lyme disease curable?
When diagnosed early and treated with the right antibiotics, this infection is usually easily curable, says Dr Paul. “In some cases, if the travel history and the clinical features match, they get empirically treated as it responds well to the antibiotics like Doxycycline,” he added.
However, if the infection proceeds past its initial stages and proceeds such that the person has Lyme carditis or Lyme arthritis, doctors suggest treatment as per CDC guidelines.
Ways to prevent Lyme disease
Lyme disease is vector-borne and does not spread from one infected person to another, clarifies Dr Baghel. Some of the measures to prevent include being aware of the ailments prevalent in the region, especially while going for a trek or tour covering forest areas and preparing accordingly, he adds. Further, he explains, “Using mosquito nets, applying mosquito or bug repellants, wearing protective clothing, limiting travel to the daytime and avoiding stepping out after dusk can help,” he explains. Medical research to prevent Lyme disease is also underway.
Takeaways
- Lyme disease is a tick-borne bacterial illness seen mainly in the US. The infected tick can enter the human body and engorge.
- Revealing travel history to a physician can help in the correct diagnosis. Early detection and use of antibiotics help in its timely cure before the bacteria enters different organs.
- According to experts, being aware of the prevalent infections in a region while going for trekking, touring is crucial to prevent this illness.
