| Description: | This image depicts the posterior right shoulder region of a patient who’d presented with the erythema migrans (EM) rash characteristic of what was diagnosed as Lyme disease, caused by the bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi. B. burgdorferi bacteria are transmitted to humans through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks. Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans. If left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system.
Erythema migrans (EM) or "bull's-eye" rash - Rash occurs in approximately 70-80% of infected persons1 and begins at the site of a tick bite after a delay of 3-30 days (average is about 7 days). - Rash gradually expands over a period of several days, and can reach up to 12 inches (30 cm) across. Parts of the rash may clear as it enlarges, resulting in a “bull's-eye” appearance. - Rash usually feels warm to the touch but is rarely itchy or painful. - EM lesions may appear on any area of the body. |
