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EARLY INFECTION
Flu-like symptoms - Headache, fever, muscle or joint pain, unusual tiredness, loss of appetite, or swollen glands.
Skin - Single rash at the bite site. About 50% of infected people do not get a rash. This rash occurs in many shapes and colors. It appears as red or purplish on light skin and as a bruise on dark skin. Discoloration at the bite site within hours of tick removal may be skin irritation and not disease.
Eye - Conjunctivitis.
DISSEMINATED INFECTION
General - Fatigue, loss of appetite, vomiting.
Brain - Severe headaches, cranial nerve paralysis (e.g. facial droop, light sensitivity), loss of reflexes, radiating sensations, memory problems, stroke (rare), inflammation of the spinal cord, brain, or nerves.
Eye - Inflammation of various parts or optic nerve, retinal detachments, double vision.
Skin - Single or multiple rashes (per bite) occurring over the body, benign skin tumors.
Joint & Muscle - Pain - mild to severe &/or migratory, inflammation, loss of tone.
Heart - Irregular beats, heart block, inflammation.
Liver - Hepatitis, elevated liver enzymes.
CHRONIC INFECTION
General - Chronic fatigue.
Brain - Cognitive or behavioral changes, disorders of the peripheral nerves, demyelinating-like syndromes, severe headaches, inflammation of the brain.
Eyes - Loss of vision.
Skin - Degeneration of the skin on the hands or feet, recurring rash(es).
Joints - Disabling pain, intermittent or chronic.
PREGNANCY
The Lyme bacterium can cross the placenta and infect the unborn. Reported potential complications include miscarriage, stillbirth, and death after birth. Any woman who is pregnant and has Lyme Disease should contact us. We have information that can help!
MORE INFORMATION
For more information on LD or other tick borne diseases, send a self-addressed stamped business size envelope to the address below.
(C) 1993 Lyme Disease Foundation 203-525-2000
1 Financial Plaza, Hartford, CT 06103
Lyme Disease National Hotline 1-800-886-LYME
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Uploaded: 2/21/2004
Uploaded: 2/21/2004