Bug Off! Protect Yourself from These 6 Tick- and Mosquito-Borne Diseases

Lyme disease is transmitted when a person is bitten by an infected blacklegged tick (also called a deer tick) or western blacklegged tick. Deer ticks and western blacklegged ticks can be found in the northeast, mid-Atlantic, north-central, and Pacific Coast of the United States. In most cases, the tick must be attached to its host for at least 36 to 48 hours for the disease to be transmitted.

According to the CDC, most people contract Lyme disease from immature ticks, called nymphs. Nymphs are very small (less than 2 millimeters) and can be very hard to see. Adult ticks also carry the disease, but are bigger and easier to see so they are usually removed before Lyme disease can be transmitted.

The signs and symptoms of Lyme disease can include:

• A red, expanding rash, called erythema migrans (EM) 3 to 30 days post bite. An EM is also known as a "bullseye rash" and gradually expands over the course of several days. It can reach up to 12 inches across, and usually feels warm to the touch but rarely itchy or painful. An EM can occur anywhere on the body, and occurs in 70 to 80 percent of tick-bite victims.
• Fatigue, chills, fever, headache, muscle and joint aches, and swollen lymph nodes 3 to 30 days post bite.

If Lyme disease goes untreated and progresses, other symptoms can include:

• Additional EM rashes on other parts of the body.
• Loss of muscle tone on one or both sides of the face (also known as Facial or Bell's Palsy).
• Severe headache or neck stiffness due to meningitis (inflammation of the spinal cord).
• Pain and swelling in joints.
• Sharp shooting pains that interfere with sleep.
• Heart palpitations and dizziness due to changes in heart rate, also known as Lyme carditis.

Most symptoms of Lyme disease resolve themselves, even without treatment. However, if left untreated, long-term complications can include severe joint swelling and bouts of arthritis. About 5 percent of untreated Lyme disease patients will experience chronic neurological issues, such as shooting pains, numbness or tingling in the hands and feet, and problems with short-term memory.

According to the CDC, appropriate antibiotics in the early stages of Lyme disease results in a rapid and complete recovery in 80 to 90 percent of patients. The most common antibiotics used for oral treatment are doxycycline, amoxicillin, or cefuroxime axetil.

RMSF is a tick-borne disease that is transmitted when a person is bitten by one of three types of ticks: the American dog tick, Rocky Mountain wood tick, and brown dog tick. According to the CDC, typical symptoms of RMSF include:

• Fever.
• Headache.
• Abdominal and muscle pain.
• Vomiting.
• Lack of appetite.
• Conjunctival infection (red eyes).

A rash may also develop, but won't appear until a few days post-bite. Not all patients will develop a rash. RMSF can be severe and even fatal if it isn't treated within the first few days of symptoms. Diagnosis is made by clinical signs and symptoms, medical history, and can be confirmed with a laboratory test.

The first line of treatment for adults and children of all ages diagnosed with RMSF is the antibiotic doxycycline, and works best when administered within five days of symptoms. Most patients who are treated early make a fast and complete recovery, but those who experience a severe case might require prolonged hospitalization, intravenous antibiotics, or intensive care.

According to the CDC, the best way to prevent any of these diseases is to avoid insect bites. Follow these 6 tips to avoid ticks, and find out which insect repellents are safest to use on your child.