After over two years of Covid-19, most people are very familiar with the symptoms of the virus can quickly test for it in the comfort of their homes. However, because most of the symptoms of Covid-19 –fever, chills, headaches, cough and sore throat – are quite similar to those of other conditions, there’s the risk of delayed diagnosis of some debilitating conditions such as Lyme disease.
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Lyme disease
This is a rare disease that is endemic to Northern countries including the US and European and Asian countries. According to The Sun, the disease is brought on by an insect bite from a tick that is carrying the virus, but if caught early, can be easy to treat.
However, delayed diagnosis can cause lead to life-threatening complications as the virus can spread to the heart or nervous system. As in the case of long Covid, some people with Lyme disease can live with it for a long period of time, suffering from complications such as pain, brain fog, memory loss and restless sleep.
Telling the difference
The first step to knowing what the underlying cause of common symptoms are is to determine the source of entry of the virus. Immunologist Dr Purvi Parikh told The Mirror:
Influenza, cold viruses, and coronavirus enter the body through the nasal passageways and lung tissues, so defining symptoms of these infections are most often respiratory. Tick-borne microbes, on the other hand, enter the body through the skin and bloodstream, so symptoms often include rashes and odd systematic symptoms.
Aside from that, once the virus is inside the body, it manifests differently as well. For instance, while most people who get Covid-19 develop sniffly nose or sore throat, those are not present with Lyme disease. Also, the latter’s symptoms tend to improve within around two weeks but often much less.
Read more:
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