But medical information is always changing, and some information given here may be out of date. For regularly updated information on a variety of health topics, please visit familydoctor.org , the AAFP patient education Web site. The disease is carried by deer ticks. It can be given to animals and humans through tick bites.
Deer ticks are tiny.
They are about the size of a poppy seed or a sesame seed. The highest rates of Lyme disease are in rural and suburban areas in the northeastern and midwestern states. Lyme disease is also found in other parts of the United States, as well as in Europe, Asia and Australia. The earliest sign of Lyme disease is a rash, which appears one to 30 days after a tick bite. It may begin as a small red spot and grow larger.