May is National Lyme Disease Awareness month and Pennsylvania state health officials are reminding residents about the tick-borne illness.
Pennsylvania is one of the leading states when it comes to Lyme Disease cases with over 10,000 reported each year.
Acting Health Secretary Dr. Denise Johnson says it’s very important to know the symptoms.
“The symptoms can start anywhere from three to 31 days after a bite. You could get flu-like symptoms. Some people have a rash, which you’ve heard of the typical bullseye rash that can be as large as a dinner plate,” Johnson said. “You could have fever or chills, fatigue, headache, muscle aches, or swelling of the lymph nodes.”
Johnson says early detection is important because it can be treated with a dose of antibiotics. However, if it’s not caught early it can spread to the joints, heart, and nervous system.
