Although Lyme disease and COVID-19 are very different diseases, some of the symptoms are similar, and with concerns that the blockage could increase cases of tick-borne disease, experts say knowing the difference is critical.
The most common symptom of Lyme disease is a telltale target-like rash called migratory erythema, which occurs in up to 80 percent of cases. But other signs of Lyme disease, which is diagnosed in approximately 300,000 adults each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), include flu-like symptoms, such as fever, chills, headache, fatigue and muscles and joints. pains as well as swollen lymph nodes.
“Lyme, like other tick-borne diseases, is associated with general flu-like symptoms, [such as] fever, headache and body aches and fatigue, “Jory Brinkerhoff, PhD, associate professor of biology at the University of Richmond, told Healthline.” These are also symptoms of COVID-19. “
Dr. Paul Auwaerter, clinical director of the infectious diseases division and professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins Medicine, tells Yahoo Life that “it can be confusing at first” with the two viruses.
But flu-like symptoms are where the similarities end. “They are very different pathogens,” Dr. Dean Winslow, an infectious disease physician at Stanford Health Care, tells Yahoo Life. Unlike Lyme disease, coronavirus is a contagious respiratory disease that can cause difficulty breathing, cough, loss of taste and smell, nausea or vomiting, or diarrhea.
In contrast, Lyme disease is transmitted through a bite from an infected black-legged tick, which is most commonly found in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic (from Northeast Virginia to Maine), the central states. north (mainly in Wisconsin and Minnesota), and on the west coast (particularly northern California), according to the CDC. The peak tick season is in the spring and early summer, but you can still contract Lyme disease in the late summer and fall, according to Auwaerter.
Not surprisingly, preventing both diseases requires different steps. For coronavirus, the CDC recommends staying six feet away from people who are not part of your home, wearing a face mask that covers your nose and mouth when you are in public, and washing your hands often with soap and water during 20 seconds (or use hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol). “All of us should be practicing social distancing and wearing facial covering when we are in public,” says Winslow.
To help prevent Lyme disease, Auwaerter recommends doing a tick control, inspecting both clothing and the entire body (including the navel), right after spending time outdoors, including gardening in your own backyard. If you see a tick, remove it immediately with fine-tipped tweezers, following CDC instructions.
“Tick prevention is important,” adds Auwaerter. “Spray on DEET before going outdoors and wear long pants. In addition, taking a bath or shower afterward is believed to reduce the chance of Lyme disease, ”as it can eliminate unattached ticks. “Ticks don’t like to drown,” she says.
“Talk to your doctor if you’re concerned,” suggests Winslow. “A confident doctor or clinician should be able to solve [both diseases] great. “And if you experience any of the above symptoms, contact your healthcare provider right away.
For him coronavirus latest news and updates, follow along https://news.yahoo.com/coronavirus. According to experts, people over 60 and immunocompromised people continue to be the most exposed. For questions, see the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention‘s and From the WHO resource guides.
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