Community Update

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts offers
safety tips to ward off the threat of Lyme disease

BOSTON — July 22, 2014 — In an effort to help keep
members safe this summer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (BCBSMA) has
released a list of safety tips aimed at educating its members on the harmful
effects of tick bites, as well as the potential signs of Lyme disease.

“Studies have shown that Lyme
disease is on the rise, and our members need to be aware of what to do when
bitten by a tick as well as how to prevent a bite,” said Jane Williams, MD,
MPH, Medical Director at BCBSMA. “Our goal is to keep our members safe, so they
can enjoy a long summer outdoors with their friends and family.”

While most tick bites are harmless, several species can cause
life-threatening diseases. Lyme is the most common of these diseases and is a
multistage, multisystem bacterial infection. According to the Center for Disease Control, Lyme disease continues to be a rapidly
emerging infectious disease, and is the leading cause of all insect-borne
illness in the U.S.

What should you do if you find a tick?

• Do not touch the tick
  with your bare hand.


• Use a pair of tweezers to
  remove the tick. Grab the tick firmly by its mouth or head as close to
  your skin as possible.


• Pull up slowly and
  steadily without twisting until it lets go. Do not squeeze the tick, and
  do not use petroleum jelly, solvents, knives, or a lit match to kill the
  tick.


• Save the tick and place
  it in a plastic container or bag so it can be tested for disease, if
  necessary.


• Thoroughly wash the bite
  area with soap and water and apply an antiseptic lotion or cream.


• Immediately call your doctor to find out about follow-up
  care and testing of the tick.

Ticks prefer to live in wooded areas, low-growing grasslands, and
yards. Depending on the location, anywhere from less than one percent to more
than 50 percent of the ticks are infected with a disease. Although Lyme disease is a year-round problem, April through
October is considered ‘tick season.’

What are the symptoms of Lyme disease?

The list of possible symptoms is long, and symptoms can affect
every part of the body. The primary symptom is a red rash which:

• Can appear several days
  after infection, or not at all.


• Can last up to several
  weeks.


• Can be very small or very
  large (up to 12 inches across), and may resemble a "bulls-eye."


• Can mimic such skin
  problems as hives, eczema, sunburn, poison ivy, and flea bites.


• Can itch or feel hot, or
  may not be felt at all.


• Can disappear and return
  several weeks later.

Several days or weeks after a bite from an
infected tick, a patient usually experiences flu-like symptoms, and weeks to
months after the bite, a patient may develop neurological symptoms, heart
problems, eye problems, inflammation of the joints (arthritis) and extremity
numbness, tingling and pain and difficulties with speech, memory, and
concentration 

How can Lyme disease be prevented?

Humans do not develop immunity to Lyme disease and reinfection is
possible. Some general guidelines for preventing Lyme disease include the
following:

• Dress appropriately by
  wearing:

• Light-colored
  clothing


• Long-sleeved
  shirts


• Socks and
  closed-toe shoes


• Long pants
  with legs tucked into socks

• All parts of
  the body that bend: behind the knees, between fingers and toes, and
  underarms


• Other areas
  where ticks are commonly found: belly button, in and behind the ears,
  neck, hairline, and top of the head


• Areas of
  pressure points, including:

• Where
  underwear elastic touches the skin


• Where bands
  from pants or skirts touch the skin


• Anywhere
  else where clothing presses on the skin

• Products that
  contain DEET are tick repellents, but do not kill the tick and are not
  100 percent effective in discouraging a tick from feeding on you.


• Products that
  contain permethrin are known to kill ticks; however, they should not be
  sprayed on the skin, but on clothing.

“Very often, diagnostic
testing may not be necessary when a diagnosis can be made clinically in
patients with a recent tick bite or exposure and the presence of the
characteristic rash,” continued Williams. “We want our members to know when
laboratory studies are needed, most first and second line blood tests are
covered.  If your doctor determines
treatment is needed, FDA approved medications are covered for our members.”

For more information about Lyme disease, or tick bites, visit ahealthyme, BCBSMA’s complete guide to being well
and staying healthy.

About Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts