From the Guidelines
A deer tick bite after previous Lyme disease typically won't cause a flare-up of the original infection if it was properly treated with antibiotics. However, a new tick bite can cause a new Lyme infection if the tick carries Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria. If you've had Lyme disease before and get bitten by a deer tick, monitor the bite site for the characteristic expanding bull's-eye rash (erythema migrans) and watch for symptoms like fever, fatigue, headache, and joint pain. Remove any attached tick promptly using fine-tipped tweezers, grasping it close to the skin and pulling upward with steady pressure.
Key Considerations
- If symptoms develop, seek medical attention promptly as early antibiotic treatment (typically doxycycline 100mg twice daily for 10-21 days) is most effective, as recommended by the Infectious Diseases Society of America 1.
- Some patients with previous Lyme disease may experience persistent symptoms even after treatment, a condition sometimes called Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome, but this isn't caused by new tick bites and represents a different clinical entity.
- For prevention of Lyme disease after a recognized tick bite, routine use of antimicrobial prophylaxis or serologic testing is not recommended, but a single dose of doxycycline may be offered to adult patients (200 mg dose) and to children 8 years of age (4 mg/kg up to a maximum dose of 200 mg) under certain circumstances, as outlined in the guidelines 1.
Prevention and Monitoring
- The best currently available method for preventing infection with B. burgdorferi and other Ixodes species–transmitted pathogens is to avoid exposure to vector ticks.
- If exposure to I. scapularis or I. pacificus ticks is unavoidable, measures recommended to reduce the risk of infection include the use of both protective clothing and tick repellents, checking the entire body for ticks daily, and prompt removal of attached ticks before transmission of these microorganisms can occur 1.
From the Research
Lyme Disease and Deer Tick Bites
- Lyme disease is a tick-borne disease that can be transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected Ixodes tick 2.
- The disease has three stages: early localized infection, early disseminated infection, and late disseminated infection, each with specific clinical features 2.
Previous Infection and Flare-Ups
- There is no direct evidence in the provided studies to suggest that a previous infection with Lyme disease would cause a flare-up after another deer tick bite.
- However, the studies do provide information on the treatment and prevention of Lyme disease, which may be relevant to individuals who have previously been infected 3, 4, 5, 6.
Treatment and Prevention
- The treatment of Lyme disease typically involves the use of antibiotics such as doxycycline or amoxicillin 2, 3.
- Preventive measures, such as avoiding tick bites and using insect repellents, can help reduce the risk of infection 2.
- Individuals who have previously been infected with Lyme disease may still be at risk of reinfection if they are bitten by another infected tick 2.