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The summer months are often a prime time for outdoor activities, but among other warm weather ailments—like sunburn and bug bites—it’s also a time in which you may be at an increased risk for Lyme disease.

Today, this tick-borne disease is quite common: A 2022 meta-analysis in BMJ Global Health estimates that 14.5% of the world’s population has been infected with Lyme at some point in their lives[1]Dong Y, Zhou G, Cao W, et al. Global Seroprevalence and Sociodemographic Characteristics of Borrelia Burgdorferi Sensu Lato in Human Populations: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. BMJ Global Health. 2022;7:e007744. .

Here’s what to know about the condition, how it’s diagnosed and whether there’s a cure.

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Lyme disease is an infectious disease spread by the bite of infected blacklegged ticks (also known as deer ticks) that carry the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi, explains Harvey Kaufman, M.D., senior medical director of Medical Informatics at Quest Diagnostics. “It’s the most commonly occurring vector-borne disease in the United States,” he says.

In the 1970s, researchers began studying a cluster of disease symptoms that were detected in Lyme, Connecticut. At first, they referred to the cluster of symptoms as Lyme arthritis, and then in 1979, renamed it Lyme disease.

Today, around 476,000 people in the U.S. get Lyme disease each year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)[2]How Many People Get Lyme Disease?. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed 7/19/2022. .

You’re at risk of getting Lyme disease if you’ve been bitten by an infected blacklegged tick, according to the CDC. These ticks are more prevalent in certain areas of the U.S., including the Northeast, mid-Atlantic, upper Midwest and Pacific coast.

Infected ticks need to be attached for at least 24 hours before they can transmit the disease, which means it’s important to do frequent tick checks if you spend time outside in certain areas and, if you spot a tick, to remove it promptly.

The majority of people who become infected with Lyme disease develop a ”bullseye rash,” says Dr. Kaufman. Typically, the rash will appear as a round or oval shape on the skin with clear borders and a reddish tinge. This is why many people describe the rash as looking like a bullseye.

The rash may feel warm at first, and get bigger over a few days, but it usually won’t hurt or itch.

Untreated Lyme disease can produce a wide range of symptoms depending on the stage of infection, and most of these signs and symptoms aren’t unique to Lyme, says Dr. Kaufman. This can make diagnosis difficult. However, there are some common symptoms to look out for, depending on what stage the infection is in.

Perhaps the most telltale sign of Lyme disease is the one that many people are already aware of: The aforementioned erythema migrans rash, also known as the bullseye rash. “This rash occurs in roughly 70% of Lyme disease cases,” says Dr. Kaufman.

According to Dr. Kaufman, the early signs and symptoms of Lyme disease, which typically occur three to 30 days following a tick bite, include:

If Lyme disease goes untreated, more serious symptoms can evolve. According to Dr. Kaufman and Sean Ormond, M.D., a dual board-certified physician in anesthesiology and interventional pain management in Phoenix, later symptoms include:

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In children, early signs of Lyme disease can include one or many ring-shaped rashes that look like bullseyes, explains Dr. Kaufman. He goes on to describe other common symptoms in children, including:

Many of the later symptoms adults might experience due to Lyme disease can also show up in children, notes Dr. Kaufman. These include nervous system symptoms and cardiovascular issues, like inflammation of the heart.

If Lyme disease goes untreated, its symptoms can creep up weeks, months or even years after the initial tick bite. Untreated Lyme can affect your entire body, but can especially create issues relating to:

Symptoms can disappear and reappear seemingly at random, which can make it difficult for doctors to diagnose the actual disease.

Post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome is a condition used to describe symptoms attributed to lingering Lyme.

While most cases of Lyme disease are cured with antibiotics, especially if they’re caught early, “there are instances where patients have symptoms of pain, fatigue or difficulty thinking that lasts for more than six months after they finish treatment,” says Dr. Kaufman.

It’s unknown why some individuals experience post-treatment Lyme disease. However, some experts believe it’s “triggered by some type of auto-immune response,” he says.

Currently, there’s no proven treatment for post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome, but many individuals with the condition get better slowly, usually after a few months.

Lyme disease is usually diagnosed via a blood test called an ELISA, or an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, explains Dr. Ormond. It can detect antibodies to B. burgdorferi, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease.

Less often, a doctor might test someone’s cerebrospinal fluid for antibodies via a lumbar puncture (spinal tap). This is usually done if a patient is experiencing symptoms that indicate their central nervous system has been affected, continues Dr. Ormond.

If Lyme disease is caught early, it will typically be treated with a short course of an antibiotic such as doxycycline or amoxicillin.

While new studies are in the works, there are no current proven treatments for the minority of people who develop post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome. Most of these individuals will find that their post-treatment Lyme disease heals on its own over the course of a few months.

Most Lyme disease cases can be cured with a two- to four-week course of antibiotics, says Dr. Kaufman. This is especially true if you’re “treated in the early stages of infection, which is why it’s so important to be aware of any potential exposure and symptoms.”

In rare cases, however, some patients will continue experiencing symptoms such as pain, fatigue and numbness, and will be diagnosed with post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome.

The best way to prevent Lyme disease is to prevent tick bites, explains Dr. Kaufman, and there are steps you can take to reduce your risk, especially if you live in or are going to be visiting an area where ticks are prevalent.

Some of Dr. Kaufman’s recommended strategies include:

Additionally, it’s important to watch yourself for any signs or symptoms for a few weeks after being in an area where there are ticks, continues Dr. Kaufman. “Even if you don’t see a tick or remember being bitten by one, be on the lookout for early signs of Lyme disease, and see a health care provider if you notice any symptoms.”

In the coming years, a vaccine for Lyme disease for people as young as 5 years old may be available. VLA15, the vaccine created by Pfizer and French drugmaker Valneva, is in the third phase of a clinical study in humans as of August 2022. The study includes approximately 6,000 participants in the U.S. and Europe who live in locations where Lyme disease is considered “highly endemic.” If the study is successful, the companies say they’re likely to seek official authorization of the vaccine with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA) in 2025.

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Angela Haupt has been a health writer and editor for more than a decade. She was previously the managing editor of health at U.S. News & World Report, where she spent 11 years covering and editing wellness and conditions topics. She helped launch the popular Best Diets rankings and continued to oversee the franchise throughout her time there. Angela has also written about health and wellness for publications such as the Washington Post, USA Today, Everyday Health and Verywell Fit. She’s passionate about helping people make healthier decisions through accurate journalism that delivers the facts and puts them in context.

Niraj Patel is a board-certified family medicine physician and medical director of GoodRx Care. He completed his residency training through the Cleveland Clinic Akron General health system, where he served as chief resident and was also the president of the house staff. He has also served as an assistant professor at the UNT Health Sciences Center in Fort Worth, Texas. His interests in clinical informatics and digital health led him to a career in telemedicine.