Infection usually begins with a red rash that spreads like a bulls-eye around the bite site. In advanced cases, infections can cause disabling symptoms in the heart and brain. Most cases of Lyme disease in the U.S. are clustered in New England and the mid-Atlantic states and in the upper reaches of the Mississippi River.
Deer ticks tend to favor wooded areas, high grasses, marshes, and beaches.
But even in areas where the disease is common, the overall risk of infection following a deer tick bite is still 1 in 50, researchers estimate. A different type of repellent designed for application on clothing only and containing the chemical permethrin has also been shown to be highly effective. The presence of the antibodies suggests that the children's immune systems had been primed to fight off Lyme disease. The recommendation of the expert panel is that its use be considered for people who are at high risk, but most kids are not at high risk, and in general it's an easily treated illness, so there's no real need for immunization. False-positive antibody results could cause physicians to mistakenly believe that a patient has Lyme disease and overlook other possible causes of a patient's symptoms.