Experts Issue New Guidelines For Lyme Disease Prevention

BOSTON (CBS) - After more than a decade, experts are issuing new guidelines for the prevention and treatment of Lyme disease.

Even though many of the recommendations are geared toward medical professionals, there are some key takeaways for the general public.

Namely, the best way to protect yourself is to wear protective clothing and insect repellent with DEET and do frequent tick checks if you've been outdoors.

Bathing within two hours of an outdoor activity can reduce the risk of Lyme disease. And if you have pets, you should check them regularly for ticks to prevent the ticks from falling off and reattaching to humans.

If you are bitten by a deer tick, it's engorged, and it has been attached for 36 hours or more, you should call your doctor or get to an urgent care facility because prompt treatment with a single dose of an antibiotic can prevent Lyme disease, but only if given within 72 hours of removing the tick.