How to Get Immunized Against Lyme Disease

Lyme disease, which is transmitted through tick bites, is caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi. A preventative Lyme disease vaccine called LYMErix became available in the U.S. in 1999, but was discontinued in 2002. This was how people went about getting immunized against Lyme disease when the vaccine was available.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Talk to your doctor about receiving the Lyme disease vaccine, called LYMErix.
2. Consider receiving the vaccine if you are between 15 and 70 years old, don't have joint problems, and are not pregnant. Also, if you live or work in grassy or wooded areas, you should consider being vaccinated.
3. Receive three doses of the vaccine over the course of one year if your doctor feels LYMErix is right for you.
4. Get dose number one, preferably in March if you live in the Northeast. The shot will be given in your deltoid muscle. Then get dose number two a month later. The second dose should be given before the start of tick season, which, in the Northeast, is April.
5. Receive dose number three one year after receiving dose number one, again, before the start of tick season.

Tips & Warnings

• The highest incidence of Lyme disease is in children ages 2 to 15 years. Unfortunately, the vaccine cannot be administered to children less than 15 years old.
• A second Lyme disease vaccine is awaiting FDA approval.
• For more information about Lyme disease, call the American Lyme Disease Foundation or visit the website, which you can find online with a search engine like Google or Yahoo!.
• Wear protective clothing when hiking through tick-infested woods and fields, and use tick repellent. If you do find a tick attached to your body, make sure you remove all of it, including the head. Check the tick closely to make sure you've gotten it all. (See "How to Remove a Tick.")
• If you have any questions or concerns, contact a physician or other health care professional before engaging in any activity related to health and diet. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.