Hospital News

2005 Press Releases

Monmouth Medical Center Rheumatologist Addresses the
Facts and Myths of Lyme Disease

LONG BRANCH, NJ, AUGUST 19, 2005 - With its woodsy parks, and vast lawns and fields, New Jersey is a prime breeding ground for ticks, many of which carry Lyme disease. In fact, Monmouth County is one of the few counties in the United States where Lyme disease is endemic. To best detect Lyme disease and treat it, it’s essential for people to know the facts and myths surrounding the disease.

Rheumatologist Mutahir Abidi, M.D., who recently joined the Medical and Dental Staff at Monmouth Medical Center, said, “The incidence of Lyme Disease is on the rise every year, with over 25,000 people affected and infected, especially during the spring and summer months. Yet Lyme disease is preventable if the right measures are taken.”

He added, “Lyme disease season starts in mid-spring and ends in mid-fall. However, it is smart to be cautious all year long, even in the winter—until there is a killing frost, ticks may still be active. Everyone is susceptible to Lyme disease, however, it is more prevalent in children under the age of 10.”

Dr. Abidi, who specializes in the treatment of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis and other conditions of the joints, muscles and bones, said, “Lyme disease is an important public health problem for people of all ages. It is the most commonly diagnosed tick-borne disease in the United States. If left untreated, Lyme disease can lead to serious health problems, chronic arthritis, and nerve and heart damage.”

Lyme disease is named after Old Lyme, Connecticut, the place where the first few cases of the disease were identified. The deer tick, which is located in the Eastern part of the U.S., and the black-legged tick, which is found in the Western part of the U.S., are the only two tick species that are currently known to transfer Lyme disease to humans, according to the American Lyme Disease Foundation. Ticks have four stages in their life cycle: egg, larvae, nymph and adult. Ninety percent of all Lyme disease cases are spread by nymphs, which live on white-footed field mice.

Dr. Abidi explained that it is a common mistake to think that most tick bites result in Lyme disease. The risk for contracting Lyme disease from a known tick bite is only one percent if the tick is not big enough to see with the naked eye. Also, many people think that Lyme disease is contracted soon after exposure to a tick. However, it takes about 24 hours for the tick to find a warm, moist spot to attach to and then it takes another 24 hours before the tick can transfer the bacterium that causes Lyme disease into human blood.

“When a person becomes affected by Lyme disease, he or she will go through three stages of the disease. People should look out for specific symptoms that are common with each stage.”

He said an expanding red rash with a clear center, is the predominant feature of early Lyme disease, although its presence is not necessary to diagnose Lyme disease. Another first warning sign may be Lyme arthritis. The symptoms involved in the second stage include fatigue, severe headache, fever, muscle aches and pains, heart problems like irregular beats, facial palsy or paralysis, meningitis and neuropathies. The third stage of Lyme disease, which can occur years after the initial tick, can present central nervous symptom abnormalities.

Dr. Abidi, who is board-certified in Internal Medicine and a member of the American College of Rheumatology, said the diagnosis of Lyme disease can not be based solely on positive blood testing. “The current available tests measure only antibodies to the Lyme bacteria in the blood. The diagnosis of Lyme disease should be made when the patient has the clinical features and then a blood test can aid in making the diagnosis. Fortunately, most patients respond well to standard antibiotic therapy.”

Dr. Abidi said, “The best way to prevent Lyme disease is to take precautions to limit the chance of tick bites, know what to do if bitten and to seek medical treatment if disease symptoms occur."

The best preventive measure is to avoid areas where ticks live - tall grass, brush and wooded areas. Keep the lawn mowed, cut overgrown brush and clear any leaf litter away from the home.

“Anyone in areas favored by white-tailed deer, like the northeast, should check themselves, their children and their pets daily for ticks, especially in the ears, scalp, armpits, groin and other skin folds,” Dr. Abidi said. “If you live, play, work or visit an area where ticks are found, wear lightweight, light-colored clothing. This should enable you to more easily spot ticks. And wear long sleeves and long pant legs, making sure the pant legs are tucked into socks and the shirt is tucked into pants.”

Also consider using insect repellent, according to manufacturer’s instructions, when planning to be outdoors.

If you find a tick on your body, remove it properly and immediately, Dr. Abidi notes. If possible, use tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin surface as possible and pull straight back and up with a slow steady force. If you are without tweezers, use fingers, but protect them by using a tissue or glove. Do not crush the tick’s body as it may contain infectious fluids.

Do not use petroleum jelly, hot matches, nail polish remover, or any other substance to remove a tick. By using these substances, the chance of infection actually increases.

Wash the area with soap and water and apply an antiseptic when the tick has been removed. Write on a calendar the date you removed the tick and the area of the body from which it was removed. Check that area every day for a month for a red ring-like rash.

“Although prevention is best, if you develop Lyme disease symptoms, seek treatment immediately,” Dr. Abidi emphasizes.

The majority of cases, if left untreated, do not progress to early or late stage Lyme disease. However, it is extremely important to get treated early in the disease to avoid potential complications. Inflammation of the heart and neurological symptoms of the second stage of Lyme disease occur in ten percent of untreated patients, Dr. Abidi said. Fifty percent of untreated patients develop musculoskeletal problems of the second or third stage.

Dr. Abidi is the Director of the Center for Arthritis and Rheumatologic Disorders at Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch. For more information contact 732.923.7550.

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