Celebrity Timberlake stricken ill. Identify potential symptoms of Lyme disease.
Lyme borreliosis, also known as Lyme disease, is a bacterial infection transmitted to humans by ticks. The disease can have serious health consequences, including chronic skin inflammation, burning nerve pain, and bilateral facial paralysis.
The disease is caused by bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi, and it occurs when these bacteria affect the nervous system, leading to symptoms such as burning nerve pain, muscle weakness, numbness, tingling, and in some cases, one-sided or bilateral facial paralysis.
A red spot, known as erythema migrans, can appear on the skin three to 30 days after a tick bite. This spot is typically the size of a two-euro coin.
Ticks are found in bushes, grass, or underbrush and attach to a person's clothing before searching for uncovered skin. The victim initially does not feel the sting, as the tick secretes a kind of anesthetic with its saliva during the sting. Once a suitable spot is found, a tick bores into the skin with a stinger and sucks blood.
Lyme borreliosis can be transmitted from ticks to humans anywhere in Germany. However, only 20% of ticks in Germany can transmit the disease. Ticks prefer moist, soft, or even hairy body parts like the armpit or behind the ear.
Preventive measures include wearing protective clothing, using insect repellents containing DEET, and promptly checking for and removing ticks after outdoor exposure. It is also advisable to apply a tick-repellent product to the skin before going into nature.
Early diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease with antibiotics can prevent severe illness and usually lead to complete recovery. Common symptoms of Lyme borreliosis occur in stages and include fever, fatigue, a characteristic "bull's-eye" rash (erythema migrans), headaches, joint stiffness, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, facial paralysis (Bell’s palsy), irregular heartbeat, and arthritis especially in large joints like the knees.
In rare cases, Lyme disease can affect the heart, causing heart rhythm disturbances. Later stages may show neurological symptoms such as meningitis, numbness, pain or paralysis in limbs, as well as cognitive issues like brain fog, memory loss, and difficulty concentrating.
Notable figures like Justin Timberlake (44) have also been affected by Lyme borreliosis. It is important to note that transmission from person to person is not possible with borreliosis.
After being outdoors in nature, it's important to check oneself and one's children for ticks and remove them promptly. Early recognition and removal of ticks can prevent the transmission of Lyme borreliosis.
[1] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Lyme Disease. https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/index.html [2] National Health Service. (2021). Lyme disease. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lyme-disease/ [3] Mayo Clinic. (2021). Lyme disease. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lyme-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20355940 [4] World Health Organization. (2021). Lyme borreliosis. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/lyme-borreliosis
- To prevent the transmission of Lyme borreliosis, using protective clothing, insect repellents, and promptly checking for and removing ticks after outdoor exposure is essential, as the bacteria responsible for this disease prefer moist, soft, or hairy body parts for attachment.
- Lyme borreliosis can affect not only physical health, causing symptoms like fever, joint stiffness, and arthritis, but also mental health, with cognitive issues such as brain fog, memory loss, and difficulty concentrating occuring in the later stages.
- After a day spent in nature, it's crucial to check oneself and one's children for ticks, as early recognition and removal can prevent the transmission of Lyme borreliosis, a disease that can lead to chronic skin inflammation, burning nerve pain, and even neurological symptoms like meningitis and facial paralysis.
