Lyme disease can develop multiple times, as you can be bitten by an infected tick at any time. Lyme disease is a tick-borne illness that can cause fever, headache, and fatigue, among other symptoms. Infected ticks, which typically live in grassy and wooded areas, spread the bacteria through their bites. Previous infection does not guarantee complete immunity.
Is it possible to get Lyme disease more than once?
“Of course, it is possible to get Lyme disease again, and we do see people who have repeated infections. Antibodies from Lyme disease are not like those from measles, which provide some immunity,” Daniel Kuritzkes, head of the infectious disease department at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, told Health magazine.
This is one reason why scientists have had difficulty developing an effective Lyme disease vaccine for humans. “Hopefully, one day we will have [a vaccine],” Dr. Kuritzkes said. “Right now, avoiding tick bites — and removing ticks as quickly as possible — is the best protection.”
What causes Lyme disease?
Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. The bacterium is spread through the bite of an infected tick. “Lyme disease is spread when an infected tick bites you and stays on your body long enough to feed on your blood and engorge itself,” Dr. Kuritzkes said.
“When the tick sucks blood from a person, it also releases bacteria from its salivary glands into the person’s body,” said Dr. Kuritzkes. “If the tick is discovered and removed before it has a chance to do this for a long time, the chance of infection is lower.”
How else can you get Lyme disease?
Lyme disease is spread by ticks. Only infected ticks can transmit the bacteria that cause Lyme disease. However, there are some misconceptions about how Lyme disease is spread.
For example, one study found that the bacteria that cause Lyme disease may be present in semen and vaginal secretions. However, there is no evidence that Lyme disease is spread between sexual partners, said Dr. Kuritzkes.
In rare cases, Lyme disease can be transmitted from the mother to the foetus through the placenta. However, pregnant women with Lyme disease can take antibiotics to protect the foetus from harmful effects. There is also no evidence that Lyme disease is spread through breastfeeding.
Is this disease hereditary?
Lyme disease is not a hereditary disease. However, certain inherited genes may increase the risk of complications such as Lyme arthritis. Lyme arthritis develops when the bacteria that cause Lyme disease enter the joint tissues. The bacteria cause inflammation, leading to joint swelling and pain. Symptoms of Lyme arthritis usually appear several months after infection.
Certain genes, such as human leukocyte antigen (HLA), help the body’s immune response to Lyme disease. People with variations in these genes are more likely to develop Lyme arthritis than others.
Normally, HLA genes target proteins produced by infectious bacteria. In contrast, people with specific variations in their HLA genes may cause their bodies to mistakenly target normal proteins. This immune response can trigger Lyme arthritis.
source: https://www.health.com/condition/lyme-disease/how-do-you-get-lyme-disease
(C) Lyme Borreliosis Foundation
