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Lyme Disease Is Spreading Fast | How to Spot an Infected Tick | Dr. Don Colbert, MD Ep. 3

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135 views15likes28:33doncolbertOriginal Release: 2026-07-22

Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne illness in the United States, with approximately 500,000 cases diagnosed annually, caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi transmitted through the bite of infected blacklegged (deer) ticks. The bacteria migrates from the tick's midgut to its salivary glands after 24-30 hours of attachment, then injects into the bloodstream. Early symptoms include a characteristic bullseye rash (erythema migrans) in 70-80% of patients, along with flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, and joint aches. If untreated, the disease progresses to Stage 2 (weeks to months) with neurological symptoms like facial palsy, nerve pain, and heart problems, and Stage 3 (months to years) with arthritis, cognitive impairment, and potential dementia. Proper tick removal requires using fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick close to the skin and pull upward without twisting or jerking, as improper removal can cause the tick to regurgitate infected fluids. Prevention strategies include using permethrin-treated clothing (reducing bite risk by 73.6 times), applying DEET or picaridin repellents, performing thorough tick checks on children and adults after outdoor activities, and washing clothing in hot water. Testing can be done through tick analysis labs or blood tests (ELISA and Western Blot) performed 4-6 weeks after exposure.