COVID-19's Potential Links to Lyme Disease: Exploring the Research
In the United States, Lyme disease is the most common insect-borne infection, and it's essential to understand how to protect oneself against this tick-borne illness.
The best way to safeguard oneself from Lyme disease is to prevent tick bites and exposure to ticks. Ticks are often found in grassy areas and woods, and they may also be on animals. To minimize the risk of tick bites, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests learning where ticks live, treating clothing and equipment with permethrin, using insect repellents, checking clothing for ticks after coming indoors, examining equipment and pets for ticks, showering within 2 hours of going indoors, conducting a full-body check after returning from a place where ticks may be present, and learning how to remove a tick.
Early symptoms of Lyme disease tend to appear after a tick bite and include fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle and joint aches, swollen lymph nodes, and an EM rash. The distinctive erythema migrans (EM) rash, often appearing as an expanding, discolored skin lesion, is the most common symptom of Lyme disease, present in about 70-80% of cases.
Later symptoms of Lyme disease that may appear days or months after the tick bite include severe headaches and stiffness in the neck, EM rashes that appear on other areas of the body, facial palsy, arthritis particularly in large joints such as the knees, intermittent tendon, joint, muscle, and bone pain, an irregular heartbeat or heart palpitations, episodes of shortness of breath or dizziness, inflammation of the spinal cord and brain, nerve pain, shooting pain, numbness, or tingling in the hands or feet.
People may encounter ticks throughout the year, but they are more prevalent during the warmer months between April and September. If you think you may be experiencing Lyme disease symptoms, it's best to speak with a doctor.
There may be a link between Lyme disease and an increased risk of severe COVID-19, according to some research. Increased levels of antibodies for Lyme disease may strongly correlate with increased COVID-19 severity and risk of hospitalization. However, it's important to note that there is no direct evidence of a specific correlation between Lyme disease and severe COVID-19 symptoms.
The symptom overlap between Lyme disease and post-acute infection syndromes like long COVID involves immune system dysregulation, fatigue, autonomic dysfunction, and cognitive issues. This shared symptom profile has complicated diagnosis and understanding of long-term post-infectious syndromes.
In addition to protecting oneself from tick bites, people may want to consider treating clothing and equipment they will bring into areas where ticks live with products containing 0.5% permethrin, an insecticide that may help protect against tick bites. It's also a good idea to use EPA-registered insect repellents on exposed skin.
Staying informed and taking preventative measures can help reduce the risk of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses. By following the CDC's guidelines and being aware of the symptoms, you can protect yourself and enjoy outdoor activities safely.
