middle section cat 1 What is Erythema Migrans?
What is Erythema Migrans?
Erythema (chronicum) migrans is the name of the red circular spot that sometimes appears on the skin after a tick bite. Erythema migrans occurs at the site of the tick bite and is characteristic of Lyme disease. Not everyone who is bitten by a tick gets erythema migrans, but people who do probably have Lyme disease. However, this does not mean that everyone with Lyme disease gets erythema migrans. You can also be infected without this symptom.
How to recognize Erythema Migrans?
Erythema migrans usually occurs a few days to a few weeks after the tick bite. The red spot gradually becomes larger and pales in the middle. A ring often forms around the spot of the tick bite. If you have been bitten by a tick and a spot appears that looks like erythema migrans, go to the doctor as soon as possible. Lyme disease is better cured if it is recognized at an early stage.
Erythema Migrans Treatment
According to Dutch guidelines, erythema migrans is treated with a course of antibiotics of no more than fourteen days. However, the International Lyma and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) recommends a course of antibiotics of six weeks.
Please note: It is important to take a picture of the erythema migrans (almost) every day to keep track of how the spot is developing.