i have a rash and will be going to the doctor to investigate but im worried, it started off in a circle shape and has now got much larger! it's itchy and is no longer a round shape and looks slightly flakey, what could this be??
is lyme disease contageous?

O.M.G.

you need to read whats below me….and sit down..place soft pillows around your chair ….read on…..if your still OK by the time you get to the end of candy girls reply then ..i think you will pull through….

be careful about that because lyme disease has similar symptoms as Rhemutiod Arthritis and Lupus.. a blood test should be able to tell you which

1 What is Lyme disease?
Lyme disease, also known as Lyme borreliosis, is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. The disease is classified by the World Health Organisation as an infectious or parasitic disease. Borrelia burgdorferi belongs to the bacterial genus ‘Borrelia’. these in turn are members of a larger family of bacteria called Spirochaetes.

2 how does Lyme disease infection occur?
In nearly all cases it is transmitted to humans by the bite of a tick infected with these bacteria. in a population of ticks, only some will carry the infection.

3 What is Borreliosis?
The disease resulting from infection with Borrelia burgdorferi is referred to as Lyme disease or Lyme borreliosis. There are many species of Borrelia bacteria worldwide, not all of them cause disease. Three species are currently known to cause disease in the UK. they are Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu stricto), Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii. they are very closely related and all cause a broadly similar disease process. an infection caused by Borrelia bacteria can be termed a ‘Borreliosis.’

4 how does Lyme disease start?
A clinical case of Lyme disease occurs when a person is infected by a tick bite. Symptoms follow after an incubation period that may last between two and thirty days. however, on some occasions, the bacteria do not cause disease straight away. The bacteria can enter a phase in which they do not cause symptoms but are still present. they may still have the potential to cause active disease at a later stage.

5 What are the symptoms of Lyme disease?
Lyme disease can affect any part of the body and cause many different symptoms. The commonest symptoms relate to the person feeling unwell, having flu-like symptoms, extreme tiredness, muscle pain, muscle weakness, joint pain, upset digestive system, headache, disturbances of the central nervous system and a poor sleep pattern. in some cases a characteristically shaped, expanding ‘bull’s eye’ rash appears on the skin. however, a rash in any form is not a universal symptom. If the rash does occur, it is termed Erythema migrans or EM rash. It may manifest in a chronic form and be known as Erythema chronicum migrans or ECM rash. The list of symptoms known to be associated with Lyme disease is long and diverse. The symptom pattern varies from person to person.

6 What are the commonest symptoms at onset?
Early symptoms can include feeling unwell or ‘flu-like’, EM rash, headache, stiff neck, muscle pain, tender glands and sensitivity to temperature, sound and light levels.

7 how prevalent is Lyme disease in the UK?
There are in the region of 500 confirmed cases each year in the UK. The Health Protection Agency (HPA) acknowledges that confirmed cases do not necessarily reflect all the cases of the disease. HPA official estimates suggest there could be up to 2,000 new cases occurring in the UK every year. since full recovery may not take place in many cases, the total number of people affected is accumulating.

8 Who gets Lyme disease and why?
In the United Kingdom, Lyme disease is carried by the sheep tick, Ixodes ricinus. this tick can also feed on deer and other wild mammals and birds. The tick prefers to live in woods, heath and moorland, although it does not occur exclusively in these habitats. People who live in the parts of the country where the tick is prevalent are likely to be at greater risk. however, cases of the disease are widespread and it is possible that the full picture of tick distribution is not yet fully understood. anyone can get Lyme disease if a tick that is carrying the infection has bitten them.

9 What is the treatment for Lyme disease?
The outlook varies from person to person. whilst it is extremely unusual for the illness to be fatal, symptoms can range from mild to very severe. It is not in a patient’s best interests for the disease to remain untreated. Treatment is with antibiotics and is most effective if started as early as possible in the disease. The patient may be clinically cured if treated promptly. Treatment regimes are aimed at reduction and elimination of the bacteria. If there is delay before treatment is begun, there may be less chance of a full recovery.

10 Is Lyme disease a new Illness?
Studies of the DNA taken from ticks in the Natural History Museum show the infection was in the UK in Victorian times. Therefore, it is almost certainly not a new illness. however, it does appear to be becoming more common.

11 Is there a test for Lyme disease?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that the diagnosis of Lyme disease is based on symptoms, physical findings and the patient’s history. There are several laboratory tests that aim to detect this infection, however, none of them are absolutely reliable. If positive they support the diagnosis.

12 Do other diseases accompany Lyme disease?
Several other infections can sometimes be found in tick secretions. If these are also passed into the bloodstream, they too may establish and complicate the symptoms and outlook.

13 will my doctor treat me for Lyme disease?
If you have this diagnosis your doctor should treat you. however, many doctors are not familiar with treating Lyme patients. in this case, you may do better to see a doctor who is familiar with the disease. Always try to keep your GP involved and informed. A worsening of symptoms called a Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction may complicate the start of treatment. this does not occur in every case but if it should occur further medical advice should be taken. Lyme disease is an infectious disease and the primary aim of treatment is eliminating the infection by the use of antibiotics. Other medicines may also have a place in treatment. Response to treatment varies from patient to patient.

14 Can Lyme disease be prevented?
There are many measures you can take to protect yourself from ever falling victim to this nasty infection. There is however, no vaccine available at present. Prevention relies on people being aware of the risk that ticks present and using sensible measures to avoid being bitten. these measures include wearing suitable clothing and frequently checking the skin for ticks. It is also essential to know how to remove a tick properly if it is still present and to go promptly for medical advice if you notice any symptoms. Lyme disease Action publishes a leaflet about tick removal.

15 how do I know if I’ve got Lyme disease?
Lyme disease is not an easy diagnosis to make. this is especially so if the patient has no rash and does not recall an episode of tick bite. If a patient remembers a tick bite and then becomes unwell, Lyme disease is a possibility. There is no diagnostic test that is absolutely reliable in confirming a case of Lyme disease. Negative test results therefore, do not necessarily mean it is absent. After all exclusionary tests have been done; the diagnosis can be made on clinical grounds alone.

16 does Lyme disease affect mental functioning?
Like some other diseases caused by spirochaetes, there is a possibility that the infection can cross into the central nervous system. If the infection proceeds along this course then symptoms that affect mental function may occur. If the illness proceeds to this neurological stage, it is termed neuroborreliosis. this serious condition needs skilled treatment.

Borrelia (Lyme disease) is caused by an infection resulting from a tick bite. The tick (shown above) often buries its head into the skin.

Lyme disease is an infection that derives from a tick bite. The disease has a variety of symptoms, including changes affecting the skin, heart, joints and nervous system. It is also known as borrelia or borreliosis.

What causes Lyme disease?

Lyme disease is caused by an infection from a micro-organism (Borrelia burghdor feri), itself transmitted by a bite from the wood tick, a blood-sucking parasite which normally lives on deer.

The wood tick is found in many areas, particularly in forests where deer are common. A tick will settle anywhere on a human body, but prefers warm, moist and dark places like the crotch or armpits.

When the tick has found a suitable place on the body, it sticks in its probe to draw up blood, exposing the host to the risk of infection.

What does Lyme disease feel like?

Simply seeing a tick somewhere on your body does not mean that you have contracted Lyme disease. Unfortunately, not everyone knows when they have been bitten, so consult your GP if you detect the following symptoms.

A red spot around the location of the tick's bite. The spot will gradually grow bigger, often with a pale area in the middle. this symptom is called erythema migrans.

Erythema migrans can also appear at other places on the body where the tick has not bitten. Some people get many red spots.

Usually one to four weeks will pass between the bite and when erythema migrans appears.

Some patients with Lyme disease feel like they have caught influenza – the symptoms may be:

drowsiness

headaches

mild fever

joint and muscle pains

swollen lymph glands.

What complications may occur?

Acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans

This is a condition that often develops in older women. several years may pass from the tick bite until the development of this phenomenon. The symptoms usually involve changes in the skin around the tick bite, such as:

swelling

bluish or reddish discoloration of the skin.

Neuro borrelia

About 15 per cent of people with borrelia develop so-called neuro borrelia, between one and five weeks after the tick bite. The central nervous system is affected and the symptoms that result are very mixed and not specific.

The symptoms often begin with back pain, typically between the shoulder blades and in the neck like a slipped disc. The pain worsens at night.

Distorted feelings around the area of the bite. The nerves become numb, especially in the face. this may occur at any time up to four weeks after the pain began.

Sometimes neuro borrelia may present itself as meningitis, with fever, headache and stiffness in the neck.

In rare cases, the disease may become chronic, with a slowly developing destruction of the nervous system, numbing, partial hearing impairment and the development of dementia.

Neuro borrelia demands immediate treatment, usually with an admission to hospital.

Inflammation of the joints or Lyme arthritis

This condition may present itself in days or, rarely, years after the bite, but it is very rare. The inflammation of the joints causes pain and swelling. often, only one joint is inflamed and, rarely, more than three. The most commonly affected joint is the knee followed by the shoulder, elbow, foot, and hip. It has symptoms similar to arthritis.

When treated, the swelling will go away in about one to four weeks but it may return in later months or even years.

heres a link to it.
lyme.org/otherdis/ld_symptoms…

Lyme disease, or borreliosis, is an emerging infectious disease caused by bacteria from the genus Borrelia.[1] The vector of infection is typically the bite of an infected black-legged or deer tick, but other carriers (including other ticks in the genus Ixodes) have been implicated.[2] Borrelia burgdorferi is the predominant cause of Lyme disease in the US and Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii are in Europe

In addition to Candy girl's excellent reply remember…Prevention is better than cure.
Do not go walking in farm or woodland in shorts.
You never see the forces in shorts when on service or exercise. Also tuck the trouser bottoms into a thick pair of socks.

lyme disease is an infectious disease characterized by fever, joint pain, chronic tiredness and a rash. It is caused by bacteria carried by an infected tic that then bites you.