Lyme disease - primary

Alternative names:

Lyme borreliosis; stage 1 Lyme disease; early localized Lyme infection

Symptoms:

• a flat or slightly raised red lesion at the site of the tick bite
• expansion of the red lesion (rash) to several inches over several days
• fever
• headache
• lethargy
• muscle pains
• stiff neck

Signs and tests:

• an immunofluorescence (IFA) or ELISA test shows antibodies to B. Burgdorferi. This test is usually not positive in the first few weeks after the tick bite.
• a skin biopsy shows the organism

Update Date: 02/09/00
Updated by: J. Gordon Lambert, MD, Associate Medical Director, Utah Health Informatics and adam.com editorial