It is most common during the late spring and summer when the ticks are most active and people are most exposed to them. The ticks live on white-tailed deer in grassy and wooded areas. There is a vaccination for Lyme disease, and persons who work in or are otherwise exposed much of the time to tick-infested areas should consider being vaccinated, as should people who have a previous history of Lyme disease and are considered at risk for developing it again. Initially, the rash is usually just a small, red lump which eventually enlarges to form a red ring with a clear center. Some patients are feverish and feel generally ill, and some people may complain of aching joints and muscles.
Some patients have a headache and stiff neck.
The neurological symptoms appear as the disease progresses, if left untreated. Almost any nerve can be affected by Lyme disease. If left untreated, patients with Lyme disease may eventually develop other more serious neurological symptoms like seizures and psychosis. These can take years to develop. Lyme disease is rarely fatal.