Symptoms, origins... What is the Lyme disease that Justin Timberlake suffers from?

"I would like to do my part to help others who are suffering from this disease." In a lengthy Instagram post, American pop star Justin Timberlake announced to his fans on Thursday, July 31, that he was suffering from Lyme disease , a condition that, according to him, gives him no respite.

"If you've experienced this illness or know someone who has, then you know: living with it can be endlessly debilitating, both mentally and physically," the singer wrote to his 72 million followers.

"When I got the diagnosis , I was shocked. But at least I could understand why I had intense nerve pain on stage, or why I felt crazy tired or sick," he added.

Lyme disease, also known as Lyme borreliosis, is an infectious disease caused by a bacterium transmitted to humans through tick bites , which feed on blood. It is estimated that 40,000 cases of Lyme disease are reported in France each year. As with other pathologies, humans are "accidental hosts" of the disease, as ticks mainly bite animals to feed.

Once in the human system, the bacteria can spread throughout the body and impact our various organs, our skin, our joints or our nervous system, even the heart.

Rarely fatal but difficult to diagnose, this condition progresses in three phases, each resulting in different, sometimes very disabling, symptoms. The primary phase is characterized by the appearance of a painless red plaque around the bite, requiring rapid treatment of the disease.

The secondary and tertiary phases can lead to "neurological, joint, cardiac or skin complications," according to the Pasteur Institute .

The secondary phase may manifest itself by the worsening of the skin rash - called erythema migrans - and the appearance of symptoms such as "neurological or, more rarely, articular, cutaneous, cardiac or ophthalmological manifestations." In the tertiary phase, the patient suffers from cutaneous or nervous manifestations.

If not treated properly or diagnosed early, Lyme disease can cause many after-effects, some of which are very disabling. There is no vaccine against Lyme disease; only antibiotics are prescribed, and they are only effective if the condition is diagnosed early.

If you spot a tick on your skin, especially after having been in areas where the mite is present - forest, tall grass, etc. - it is essential to remove it quickly using a tick remover, to avoid any risk of leaving the head.

"The risk of infection by the bacteria is greater if the tick remains attached for a long time," recalls the Pasteur Institute.

After the bite, consult a doctor: "increased monitoring will be necessary for 4 to 6 weeks" to ensure that the patient is not infected or, if so, to be able to treat them with antibiotics.