Lyme DiseaseNichole C. Martin RN, BSN, CEN, CPEN

Black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis) a.k.a. Deer tick

Life cycle of a tick

Transmission of B.burgdorferi

Transmission of B.burgdorferi

Transmission of B.burgdorferi

• Risk of transmission of B. burgdorferi from an infected tick increases with the amount of time the tick is embedded

24 hours - 0%48 hours - 12%72 hours - 79%96 hours - 94%

Removal

Symptoms

Symptoms

Symptoms

Two Tiered Testing

Diagnostic Testing

Treatment

Other concerns…

Case Studies

4 year-old healthy child that is asymptomatic comes in with mother who states the child is always playing in their field so she would like a Lyme

disease test

Case Studies

24 year-old female comes in with tick embedded behind ear, this is the tick:

Case Studies

34 year old male comes in for yearly physical. Works as a forester and states from spring to fall he pulls

multiple ticks off almost daily, states he usually finds them before they

embed. Occasionally finds both dog and deer ticks embedded but never

engorged, has gotten red rashes around bites before, denies myalgias

except the occasional backache

Case Studies

54 year old female comes in stating fatigue, generalized weakness, and diffuse arthralgias for the past 3-4 years, states “I looked online and I

think I have Lyme’s”

Case Studies

63 year old female presents to the ED via EMS with complaint of general

malaise for past 3 weeks, body aches for past week and syncope today, EKG

shows this:

The End