Lyme Disease
As we mentioned earlier, Lyme disease is the most commonly reported tick-borne disease in the United States. U.S. workers in the northeastern and north-central States are at the highest risk of exposure to infected ticks. Approximately 70-80 percent of Lyme disease cases are transmitted to humans through the bite of black-legged ticks (also known as deer ticks in the eastern United States) and western black-legged ticks infected with the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. The Lyme disease bacterium normally lives in mice, squirrels, and other small mammals.
Symptoms of Lyme Disease
A primary symptom of Lyme disease is the development of a "bulls-eye" rash.
Other signs and symptoms may be non-specific and similar to flu-like symptoms such as:
- fever
- lymph node swelling
- neck stiffness
- generalized fatigue
- headaches
- migrating joint aches
- muscle aches
Most cases can be successfully treated with antibiotics, especially if treatment is started early. However, some workers may have symptoms such as arthritis, muscle and joint pain, or fatigue for an extended period of time.
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2-4. What is a sign that a co-worker may be infected with Lyme disease?
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