Which tablets are needed for a tick bite? - briefly
For early Lyme disease following a tick bite, the standard oral treatment is doxycycline 100 mg twice daily for 10–14 days; if doxycycline cannot be used, amoxicillin or cefuroxime are acceptable alternatives. A single 200 mg dose of doxycycline administered within 72 hours of the bite can be given as prophylaxis when the tick was attached for at least 36 hours.
Which tablets are needed for a tick bite? - in detail
After a tick attachment, the primary medication used to prevent Lyme disease is a short course of doxycycline. The drug should be started within 72 hours of the bite and continued for 10–14 days. A typical adult regimen is 100 mg taken twice daily; pediatric dosing follows weight‑based guidelines (approximately 4.4 mg/kg per dose, twice daily). Doxycycline also covers other tick‑borne infections such as anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis.
If doxycycline is contraindicated—due to allergy, pregnancy, or a child under eight years of age—alternative antibiotics include:
- Amoxicillin: 500 mg three times daily for adults; pediatric dose 45 mg/kg per day divided into three doses. Suitable for Lyme disease prophylaxis when doxycycline cannot be used.
- Cefuroxime axetil: 500 mg twice daily for adults; 30 mg/kg per day divided into two doses for children. Effective against Borrelia species and safe in pregnancy.
For severe or disseminated infections, clinicians may prescribe:
- Intravenous ceftriaxone: 2 g once daily for 14–28 days, indicated for neuroborreliosis or cardiac involvement.
- Intravenous penicillin G: 18–24 million units per day, divided every 4 hours, an alternative for central nervous system manifestations.
Supportive measures include:
- Analgesics such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain and fever.
- Antihistamines if local allergic reactions develop.
Patients should monitor the bite site for expanding erythema, fever, joint pain, or neurological symptoms. Prompt medical evaluation is required if any of these signs appear, regardless of prophylactic therapy.