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Borreliosis (Lyme disease) – this disease occurs mainly in summer and early autumn. The disease is caused by a bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi, which lives in the bodies of wild and domestic animals. Forest ticks become infected with bacteria when they bite a sick animal, and can transmit the infection to humans. Borrelia is found in the body of almost every eighth tick. Whether the bitten person becomes infected or not depends on how long the tick remains in the skin. According to statistics, every hundredth person affected by a tick bite gets sick. In most cases, the infection goes unnoticed. The early form of the disease can appear on the skin in the form of specific redness, spreading in the form of a circle with a bright red center – the so-called annular erythema.
Course of the disease
After about 1-4 weeks, redness appears at the site of the bite, which often increases in circumference. You may feel tired, have muscle pain, or have a slight fever. Symptoms of the disease disappear after 2-3 weeks. Sometimes, several weeks or months after a tick bite, headaches may begin and signs of inflammation of the brain or meninges, as well as paralysis of the face or extraocular muscles, may appear. In addition, inflammation of the joints is possible (mostly one-sided), primarily affecting the knees or ankle joints; in adolescence, the disease can lead to arrhythmia or myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle).
When to call a doctor
During the day, if redness appears at the site of the tick bite. Call your doctor immediately if your child experiences tachycardia or arrhythmia, if one side of the face is stiff, if the child has severe headaches or torticollis, or if there is confusion, apathy, or even fainting.
Doctor’s help
A doctor can determine the disease with just an examination or with a blood test. If damage to the brain or nerves is suspected, it is necessary to take cerebrospinal fluid from the spinal canal (using a spinal tap) for examination and to confirm the diagnosis. Treatment consists of taking antibiotics for two weeks – in case of specific redness of the bite site, it will be enough to take antibiotic tablets, in other cases antibiotics must be injected. This method of treatment in most cases helps to recover safely. Preventative treatment with antibiotics after a tick bite is most often not prescribed, since the percentage of infection is minimal.
Your help to the child
Remove the tick as quickly as possible, preferably using special tongs. Watch for the appearance of specific redness at the site of the bite; If specific redness appears, consult a doctor. A small skin reaction in the form of a red spot is normal. If severe symptoms of the disease appear after several weeks or months (for example: inflammation of the joints), you should inform your doctor about the tick bite.