All animals, including lizards, have the potential to carry and spread diseases, but some studies have shown that the incidence of Lyme disease is actually lower in areas where this species occurs. This is possibly due to the fact that proteins in the lizard’s blood can kill the bacterium responsible for the spread of Lyme disease. When a tick carrying Lyme disease attaches to the lizard’s body, it will actually clear the disease from the tick’s system.