Lyme disease is caused by a spirochete—a corkscrew-shaped bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi. Lyme is called “The Great Imitator,” because its symptoms mimic many other diseases. It can affect any organ of the body, including the brain and nervous system, muscles and joints, and the heart.
Q. What does a tick bite with Lyme disease look like?
From three to 30 days after an infected tick bite, an expanding red area might appear that sometimes clears in the center, forming a bull’s-eye pattern. The rash (erythema migrans) expands slowly over days and can spread to 12 inches (30 centimeters) across.
Table of Contents
Q. What does early Lyme disease look like?
Lyme disease can result from the bite of a black-legged tick that is carrying the bacterium. In the early stages of the disease, around 70–80 percent of people develop a rash that resembles a bull’s-eye. The medical term for this distinctive rash is erythema migrans.
Q. What else looks like Lyme disease?
As a result, sometimes people who are infected with Lyme disease are incorrectly diagnosed with other ailments such as fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis (MS). These chronic conditions aren’t the only illnesses that can be mistaken for Lyme disease.
Q. Can the body fight Lyme disease on its own?
It gets bigger for a few days to weeks, then goes away on its own. A person also may have flu-like symptoms such as fever, tiredness, headache, and muscle aches. Symptoms of the initial illness may go away on their own. But in some people, the infection spreads to other parts of the body.
Q. How does Lyme affect the body?
Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans. If left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system. Lyme disease is diagnosed based on symptoms, physical findings (e.g., rash), and the possibility of exposure to infected ticks.
