Lyme disease transmission ShareCompartir The Lyme disease bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, is spread through the bite of infected ticks. The blacklegged tick (or deer tick, Ixodes scapularis) spreads the disease in the northeastern, mid-Atlantic, and north-central United States. The western blacklegged tick (Ixodes pacificus) spreads the disease on the Pacific Coast. Ticks can attach to any part of the human body but are often found in hard-to-see areas such as the groin, armpits, and scalp. In most cases, the tick must be attached for 36 to 48 hours or more before the Lyme disease bacterium can be transmitted. Most humans are infected through the bites of immature ticks called nymphs. Nymphs are tiny (less than 2 mm) and difficult to see; they feed during the spring and summer months. Adult ticks can also transmit Lyme disease bacteria, but they are much larger and are more likely to be discovered and removed before they have had time to transmit the bacteria. Adult Ixodes ticks are most active during the cooler months of the year.

Relative sizes of blacklegged ticks at different life stages In general, adult ticks are approximately the size of a sesame seed and nymphal ticks are approximately the size of a poppy seed. Are there other ways to get Lyme disease? There is no evidence that Lyme disease is transmitted from person-to-person. For example, a person cannot get infected from touching, kissing, or having sex with a person who has Lyme disease. Lyme disease acquired during pregnancy may lead to infection of the placenta and possible stillbirth; however, no negative effects on the fetus have been found when the mother receives appropriate antibiotic treatment. There are no reports of Lyme disease transmission from breast milk. Although no cases of Lyme disease have been linked to blood transfusion, scientists have found that the Lyme disease bacteria can live in blood that is stored for donation. Individuals being treated for Lyme disease with an antibiotic should not donate blood. Individuals who have completed antibiotic treatment for Lyme disease may be considered as potential blood donors. Information on the current criteria for blood donation is available on the Red Cross website . Although dogs and cats can get Lyme disease, there is no evidence that they spread the disease directly to their owners. However, pets can bring infected ticks into your home or yard.

Consider protecting your pet, and possibly yourself, through the use of tick control products for animals. You will not get Lyme disease from eating venison or squirrel meat, but in keeping with general food safety principles, always cook meat thoroughly. Note that hunting and dressing deer or squirrels may bring you into close contact with infected ticks. There is no credible evidence that Lyme disease can be transmitted through air, food, water, or from the bites of mosquitoes, flies, fleas, or lice. Ticks not known to transmit Lyme disease include Lone star ticks (Amblyomma americanum), the American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis), the Rocky Mountain wood tick (Dermacentor andersoni), and the brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus). How ticks find their hosts Ticks can't fly or jump. Instead, they wait for a host, resting on the tips of grasses and shrubs in a position known as "questing". While questing, ticks hold onto leaves and grass by their lower legs. They hold their upper pair of legs outstretched, waiting to climb onto a passing host. When a host brushes the spot where a tick is waiting, it quickly climbs aboard.

It then finds a suitable place to bite its host. How ticks attach to their hosts The tick feeding process makes ticks very good at transmitting infection: Depending on the tick species and its stage of life, preparing to feed can take from 10 minutes to 2 hours. When the tick finds a feeding spot, it grasps the skin and cuts into the surface. The tick then inserts its feeding tube. Many species also secrete a cement-like substance that keeps them firmly attached during the meal. The feeding tube can have barbs, which help keep the tick in place. Ticks also can secrete small amounts of saliva with anesthetic properties so that the animal or person can't feel that the tick has attached itself. If the tick is in a sheltered spot, it can go unnoticed. A blacklegged tick will attach to its host and suck the blood slowly for several days. If the host animal has certain bloodborne infections, such as the bacteria that cause Lyme disease, the tick may ingest the pathogen and become infected. If the tick later feeds on a human, that human can become infected. After feeding, the blacklegged tick drops off and prepares for the next life stage.

At its next feeding, it can then transmit the infection to the new host. Once infected, a tick can transmit infection throughout its life. If you remove a tick quickly (within 24 hours), you can greatly reduce your chances of getting Lyme disease. It takes some time for the Lyme disease-causing bacteria to move from the tick to the host. The longer the tick is attached, the greater the risk of acquiring disease from it. Lifecycle of blacklegged ticks The lifecycle of blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus) generally lasts two years. During this time, they go through four life stages: egg, six-legged larva, eight-legged nymph, and adult. After the eggs hatch, the ticks must have a blood meal at every stage to survive. Blacklegged ticks can feed from mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. The ticks need to have a new host at each stage of their life, as shown below: This diagram shows the lifecycle of blacklegged ticks that can transmit Lyme disease.

File Formats Help: There’s a New Disease Spread by Ticks, and it’s Not Lyme | TIME.com There’s a New Disease Spread by Ticks, and it’s Not Lyme Follow @TIMEHealth A new tick borne illness that is similar to Lyme disease, with symptoms including fever and muscle pain , are being reported among people in the U.S. for the first time this year. The bacteria, called Borrelia miyamotoi is relatively new and is one of five newly identified diseases spread by deer ticks. The illness doesn’t have a name yet, and a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine recently described two patients who showed signs of Lyme disease but did not respond to the common antibiotic treatment with doxycycline. Lyme disease is caused by the Borrelia burgdorferi bacterium, and B. miyamotoi may be a distant cousin of that strain. So far, cases of B. miyamotoi are relatively rare, but doctors believe more may start to emerge, especially in areas where Lyme disease is common, such as in the northeastern U.S.

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine this past January described 18 people in southern New England and New York who tested positive for the bacterium. The first documented cases of human B. miyamotoi infections occurred in Japan in 2011. “I think we will definitely see more of it because up to now, people haven’t even know about it. I think that now that they know about it they can look for it,” says Dr. Peter Krause, a senior research scientist in the department of epidemiology and public health at Yale School of Medicine and author of the January study. “It is the very beginning of this disease in humans. We can’t really say now that there is more now then there used to be, because there used to be no cases. I guess you can call it emerging, because there was nothing and now we have something, but it has now been found in humans and it is another disease we have to track.” (MORE: Bugs Be Gone! What’s Really in Bug Spray ) It is also possible that some people infected with B. miyamotoi were misdiagnosed with Lyme disease, since it’s difficult to distinguish the two.

Krause says, for example, that while early reports hinted that B. miyamotoi infection did not always cause a rash, as Lyme disease does, cases in Russia showed this wasn’t necessarily true. Among those infected with the bacteria, 10% developed a rash. So how is the new infection diagnosed? B. miyamotoi is five to 10 times less common than Lyme, but its symptoms are very similar, and there is no test to detect the bug before symptoms start. Once the infection starts, however, fevers caused by B. miyamotoi infection can relapse after resolving, something that doesn’t typically happen in cases of Lyme disease. For now, if a patient complains of fever, muscle pain and headaches and doesn’t respond to doxycycline antibiotics after 24 hours, doctors should order a blood smear test to look for the organism. Technicians can look for the bacteria under a microscope. There are more advanced DNA-based and antibody tests for the bacteria, but only three labs in the U.S. have the capability of performing these analyses.

As more cases of non-Lyme diseases caused by tick-carried bacteria grows, however, Krause expects more doctors and labs to recognize and test for the various strains. (MORE: What Ticks Teach About Blood Clots ) In the meantime, doctors are still learning about how severe B. miyamotoi infections can be, and what long term effect the bacteria can have on health. Researchers reported in another New England Journal of Medicine study that an 80-year-old woman with B. miyamotoi who also had cancer, developed meningitis . “We have known for decades that this type of relapsing fever causes neurological problems like meningitis,” says Krause. “We don’t know the complications of this disease yet, but it is pretty likely neurological problems will be part of this. Whether healthy people will get neurological problems we don’t know, but it is certainly possible. It is one of the many research questions that have to be answered.” Currently, there is no vaccine for Lyme disease and other related tick-borne illnesses. One vaccine, Lymerix, was pulled from the market after low sales and concerns that it was making people sick. But the Boston Globe reports that Baxter International, Inc.

is encouraged by results of its Lyme vaccine, which is being developed with researchers at Stony Brook University and Brookhaven National Laboratory. Other scientists at the University of Rhode Island are also continuing their investigation of ticks in hopes of also developing the first inoculation against Lyme. In the meantime, doctors are trying to determine how best to treat B. miyamotoi infections. While the two patients in the Annals study did not immediately respond to doxycycline, the antibiotic eventually did control the infection, and other antibiotics such as amoxicillin may also be effective. But to avoid tick-related diseases altogether, public health officials say it’s best to protect yourself from getting bitten in the first place. Stay out of areas where ticks are known to congregate, such as well-wooded regions and places with high grasses or brush. If you can’t avoid them, wear long sleeves and pants and tuck in any loose clothing. It may be hot, but it’s worth it. Alexandra Sifferlin is a writer and producer for TIME Healthland. She is a graduate from the Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism.

Subscribe Popular Among Subscribers Animal Diseases and Your Health: MedlinePlus Animal Diseases and Your Health URL of this page: Animal Diseases and Your Health Also called: Zoonoses Women Summary Animal diseases that people can catch are called zoonoses. Many diseases affecting humans can be traced to animals or animal products. You can get a disease directly from an animal, or indirectly, through the environment. Farm animals can carry diseases. If you touch them or things they have touched, like fencing or buckets, wash your hands thoroughly. Adults should make sure children who visit farms or petting zoos wash up as well. Though they may be cute and cuddly, wild animals may carry germs, viruses, and parasites. Deer and deer mice carry ticks that cause Lyme disease . Some wild animals may carry rabies . Enjoy wildlife from a distance. Pets can also make you sick. Reptiles pose a particular risk. Turtles, snakes and iguanas can transmit Salmonella bacteria to their owners. You can get rabies from an infected dog or toxoplasmosis from handling kitty litter of an infected cat. The chance that your dog or cat will make you sick is small.

You can reduce the risk by practicing good hygiene, keeping pet areas clean and keeping your pets' shots up-to-date. Start Here Lyme Disease » How is Lyme Disease Spread / Contracted? The tick responsible for Lyme disease in the USA Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010 This tiny little tick is the one responsible for spreading Lyme disease. It is called the blacklegged tick, and is also known as the Lyme disease tick, by virtue of being the carrier of this disease. As can be seen from the photo of the black legged tick below, its markings are quite obvious. However, the lyme disease tick in the USA comprises two ticks: The Ixodes scapularis tick of the Eastern USA, and the Ixodes pacificus tick of the western USA. Both these lyme disease ticks look pretty much the same and are both called the blacklegged tick. Although popularly referred to as insects, the lyme disease tick has 8 legs, and is therefore an arachnid, like a spider is. So, how do you know if the tick that bit you is a lyme disease tick?

It’s size, but mostly it’s appearance is the big give away: The lyme disease tick has a pronounced darker area around the top half or more of it’s body, the other two ticks do not. The Life Cycle of the Lyme disease tick: AS you can see from this lovely picture of the lyme disease tick lifecycle, the eggs and larva are not considered to be greatly infectious for lyme disease. Rather, it is only when the lyme disease tick is in the nymph stage that they pose the greatest real risk to humans – presumably because, as adults, it is no longer feeding to grow. Essentially any animal can act as a host for the lyme disease tick, including robbins, deer, foxes, mice … Come autumn and winter, and the lyme disease tick poses little risk of infection. How do you remove a tick? Carefully, as you don’t want to leave the head attached into your skin, which can easily happen if you yank on the body. So, with a pair of fine, pointy tweezers, you grasp the tick around the head region, and lift it up off the skin steadily.

This can be a bit of a challenge given the small size of a lyme disease tick, and the way it sticks its head into your skin. Should we coat the tick with vaseline or try burning it or do something else to it? The CDC says not to do anything to the tick prior to its removal, as you could cause the tick to inject more saliva into you, thereby increasing your risk of catching lyme disease etc. Why is the removal of the head from the skin so important? I believe it is because that when a tick feeds, it does so by a tube it inserts into the skin, and the blood then flows up the tube into its body. The problem is that blood animals have blood that coagulates to seal off breaks in the blood vessels and capilleries. So, the blood coagulates to prevent the tick from from taking the blood. In order to get round this, the tick automatically excretes it’s saliva into the blood vessel to prevent the blood from coagulating at that point. It is believed, that via this saliva, the lyme disease is carried into the human body.

So, if you remove the tick body and leave the head, the first thing your leaving there is the tube and head that are responsible for the saliva being pumped in in the first place. Secondly, infection can set in where the tick head is left behind. Thirdly, if you grasp the tick round the body, your likely to force more saliva from the tick into you, and increase the risk of catching lyme disease from it, if the tick is likewise infected. Maps, diagrams, drawings and photos courtesy of . You may also find a useful page on tick removal. Share and Enjoy: Tuesday, October 26th, 2010 What is Lyme Disease? Lyme disease – sometimes abbreviated to Lyme disease – is an animal disease which can be transferred to humans by ticks. Lyme disease is actually a bacteria, named Borrelia burgdorferi, and there are four varieties of the Borrelia burgforferi bacteria which were identified in the laboratory. To spell that out a bit more, there are actually four varieties of Lyme disease that humans can get! How Common is Lyme Disease?

Since being recognised in the mid 1970’s, Lyme disease has become the most commonly identified tick-borne disease to infect humans across the globe. Where can you catch Lyme Disease? Lyme disease has been recorded in each continent of the earth (except Antarctica) in spite of the fact that uncertainty remains as to whether Lyme disease occurs south of the equator, such as in Australia. How is Lyme Disease Spread? Short and sweet, Lyme disease is transferred to humans, from animals, by ticks. Any tick that feeds on an animal infected with Lyme disease – whether the tick be laraval, nymphal or adult – will then carry the bacteria, and spread the bacteria to any host it decides to feed upon, whether animal or human. The common animal host for the ticks are small and warm blooded creatures, such as a mouse, though deer infected with Lyme disease have also been known to pass the infection on to humans by tick as well. Can any tick spread Lyme Disease? Not all ticks are the same when it comes to being responsible for spreading Lyme disease onto humans.

In the northern hemisphere, there are only four species of ticks known to pass lyme disease on to humans: Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus in the United States, Ixodes ricinus in western Europe, and Ixodes persulcatus in eastern Europe and Asia. No Ixode specie lives in Australia, so Australia is free of Lyme disease for the most part. Share and Enjoy: Garden Cautiously Monday, April 14th, 2008 I debated for a long time this year over whether I was going to garden at all. I considered options like getting a huge load of green concrete in and covering the whole yard with it, but in the end, I decided that the pleasure of gardening outweighs the risks. Besides, one of the feral cats probably delivered the tick that infected me to my door. I could get a relapse of Lyme disease. Or catch West Nile Virus. Or receive a bite from one of the poisonous baby snakes that enjoy the rock wall. I could also get hit by a falling ceiling fan in the house. So, I’m gardening cautiously. Very cautiously.

I’m doing my best to alleviate risks with: Light colored clothing with long sleeves Hat Off sprayed on my shoes And I’m enjoying my time in the garden, even if it is a bit painful because of the joint pain and I can’t do the more strenuous activities I used to handle easily. The bulbs are blooming and the veggie garden (Freshly tilled thanks to my brother.) is partially planted. I love spring, even it means a legion of infectious deer ticks are being hatched. Share and Enjoy: It Could Be Worse – Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Monday, November 5th, 2007 Did you know that Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is said to be worse than Lyme disease? I’m glad I don’t live in the Rockies! And the dog tick is a carrier, which means it probably spreads even worse than Lyme does. According to the Memphis Democrat : Mention a tick bite and most people are worried about Lyme disease. But one Scotland County family found out there can be worse, after a canine friend was struck by a much rarer disease courtesy of one of the nasty little parasites.

Rocky-Mountain Spotted Fever is not unheard of, but most Missourians are far more familiar with the sister malady, Lyme Disease. Share and Enjoy: Baltimore Sun Article on Lyme Disease Thursday, July 26th, 2007 Today, the Baltimore Sun had a big article on Lyme Disease. It is nice to see that local papers are paying attention to this, especially since there are quite a few cases of Lyme Disease in Maryland. In fact, in 2006 alone, there were 1248 cases reported. The most interesting thing is something I’ve been saying all along to anyone who will listen to me: It’s not the deer that are the problem – it is the little tick covered field mice that romp around the houses that are spreading deer ticks far and wide. Douglas Hotton, leader of DNR’s deer management program, said deer numbers may have little to do with the spread of Lyme disease. In fact, he suggested that the very name “deer tick” is misleading. “It ought to really be called the “mouse tick,” he said, since the white-footed mouse is the main host for the Lyme-causing bacteria.

Another thing the article discussed was that not everyone agrees on treatment. The CDC says not to take drugs longer than four weeks, although a second dose of four weeks is sometimes necessary. Patients’ groups are saying they may need to take antibiotics for a lot longer than that if they have a chronic Lyme infection. Who’s right? I don’t know. Hopefully, this second dose is all I’ll need. Share and Enjoy: You Have Cooties and Other Myths Wednesday, July 25th, 2007 When people find out I have Lyme Disease, I get some interesting reactions. The most common is fear that I will give them the disease somehow. They all but form the sign of a cross if I ask if they want a sip of my drink. So, to put fears at rest : If one family member develops Lyme disease, others are not at risk unless also bitten. Human-to-human transmission has not been noted. Although dogs and cats can get Lyme disease, there is no evidence that they spread directly to their owners. However, pets can bring infected ticks into your home or yard. Consider protecting your pet through the use of tick control products for animals.

Share and Enjoy: Lyme disease: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia URL of this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001319.htm Lyme disease Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that is spread through the bite of one of several types of ticks. Causes Lyme disease is caused by bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi (B burgdorferi). Blacklegged ticks and other species of ticks can carry these bacteria. The ticks pick up the bacteria when they bite mice or deer that are infected with B burgdorferi. You can get the disease if you are bitten by an infected tick. Lyme disease was first reported in the United States in 1977 in the town of Old Lyme, Connecticut. The same disease occurs in many parts of Europe and Asia. In the United States, most Lyme disease infections occur in the following areas: Northeastern states, from Virginia to Maine North-central states, mostly in Wisconsin and Minnesota West Coast, mainly in the northwest There are three stages of Lyme disease. Stage 1 is called early localized Lyme disease. The bacteria have not yet spread throughout the body. Stage 2 is called early disseminated Lyme disease. The bacteria have begun to spread throughout the body.

Stage 3 is called late disseminated Lyme disease. The bacteria have spread throughout the body. Risk factors for Lyme disease include: Doing outside activities that increase tick exposure (for example, gardening, hunting, or hiking) in an area where Lyme disease occurs Having a pet that may carry infected ticks home Walking in high grasses Important facts about tick bites and Lyme disease: A tick must be attached to your body for 24 to 36 hours to spread the bacteria to your blood. Blacklegged ticks can be so small that they are almost impossible to see. Many people with Lyme disease never even see or feel a tick on their body. Most people who are bitten by a tick do not get Lyme disease. Symptoms Symptoms of early localized Lyme disease (stage 1) begin days or weeks after infection. They are similar to the flu and may include: Lyme Disease Lyme Disease Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases Publication date: 01/01/1991 POINT OF CONTACT FOR THIS DOCUMENT: LYME DISEASE Lyme disease was first recognized in the United States in 1975, after a mysterious outbreak of arthritis near Lyme, Connecticut.

Since then, reports of Lyme disease have increased dramatically, and the disease has become an important public health problem in some areas of the United States. Lyme disease is an infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, a member of the family of spirochetes, or corkscrew-shaped bacteria. How the disease is spread Lyme disease is spread by the bite of ticks of the genus Ixodes that are infected with Borrelia burgdorferi. The deer (or bear) tick, Ixodes dammini, which normally feeds on the white-footed mouse, the white-tailed deer, other mammals, and birds, is responsible for transmitting Lyme disease bacteria to humans in the northeastern and north-central United States. (In these regions, this tick is also responsible for the spreading of babesiosis, a disease caused by a malaria-like parasite.) On the Pacific Coast, the bacteria are transmitted to humans by the western black-legged tick, Ixodes pacificus, and in the southeastern states possibly by the black-legged tick, Ixodes scapularis. Ixodes ticks are much smaller than common dog and cattle ticks. In their larval and nymphal stages, they are no bigger than a pinhead.

Adult ticks are slightly larger. Ticks can attach to any part of the human body but often attach to the more hidden and hairy areas such as the groin, armpits, and scalp. Research in the eastern United States has indicated that, for the most part, ticks transmit Lyme disease to humans during the nymph stage, probably because nymphs are more likely to feed on a person and are rarely noticed because of their small size (less than 2 mm). Thus, the nymphs typically have ample time to feed and transmit the infection (ticks are most likely to transmit infection after approximately 2 or more days of feeding). Tick larvae are smaller than the nymphs, but they rarely carry the infection at the time of feeding and are probably not important in the transmission of Lyme disease to humans. Adult ticks can transmit the disease, but since they are larger and more likely to be removed from a person's body within a few hours, they are less likely than the nymphs to have sufficient time to transmit the infection. Moreover, adult Ixodes ticks are most active during the cooler months of the year, when outdoor activity is limited.

Ticks search for host animals from the tips of grasses and shrubs (not from trees) and transfer to animals or persons that brush against vegetation. Ticks only crawl; they do not fly or jump. Ticks found on the scalp usually have crawled there from lower parts of the body. Ticks feed on blood by inserting their mouth parts (not their whole bodies) into the skin of a host animal. They are slow feeders: a complete blood meal can take several days. As they feed, their bodies slowly enlarge. Although in theory Lyme disease could spread through blood transfusions or other contact with infected blood or urine, no such transmission has been documented. There is no evidence that a person can get Lyme disease from the air, food or water, from sexual contact, or directly from wild or domestic animals. There is no convincing evidence that Lyme disease can be transmitted by insects such as mosquitoes, flies, or fleas. Campers, hikers, outdoor workers, and others who frequent wooded, brushy, and grassy places are commonly exposed to ticks, and this may be important in the transmission of Lyme disease in some areas.

Because new homes are often built in wooded areas, transmission of Lyme disease near homes has become an important problem in some areas of the United States. The risk of exposure to ticks is greatest in the woods and garden fringe areas of properties, but ticks may also be carried by animals into lawns and gardens. Geographic distribution Lyme disease has a wide distribution in northern temperate regions of the world. In the United States, the highest incidence occurs in the Northeast, from Massachusetts to Maryland. North-central states, especially Wisconsin and Minnesota. West Coast, particularly northern California. For Lyme disease to exist in an area, at least three closely interrelated elements must be present in nature: the Lyme disease bacteria, ticks that can transmit them, and mammals (such as mice and deer) to provide food for the ticks in their various life stages. Ticks that transmit Lyme disease can be found in temperate regions that may have periods of very low or high temperature and a constant high relative humidity at ground level. Life cycle of Lyme disease ticks Knowing the complex life cycle of the ticks that transmit Lyme disease is important in understanding the risk of acquiring the disease and in finding ways to prevent it. The life cycle of these ticks requires 2 years to complete.

Adult ticks feed and mate on large animals, especially deer, in the fall and early spring. Female ticks then drop off these animals to lay eggs on the ground. By summer, eggs hatch into larvae. Larvae feed on mice and other small mammals and birds in the summer and early fall and then are inactive until the next spring when they molt into nymphs. Nymphs feed on small rodents and other small mammals and birds in the late spring and summer and molt into adults in the fall, completing the 2-year life cycle. Larvae and nymphs typically become infected with Lyme disease bacteria when they feed on infected small animals, particularly the white-footed mouse. The bacteria remain in the tick as it changes from larva to nymph or from nymph to adult. Infected nymphs and adult ticks then bite and transmit Lyme disease bacteria to other small rodents, other animals, and humans, all in the course of their normal feeding behavior. Lyme disease in domestic animals Domestic animals may become infected with Lyme disease bacteria and some of these (dogs, for instance) may develop arthritis. Domestic animals can carry infected ticks into areas where humans live, but whether pet owners are more likely than others to get Lyme disease is unknown.

Symptoms and signs of Lyme disease Early Lyme Disease: The early stage of Lyme disease is usually marked by one or more of the following symptoms and signs: fatigue swollen lymph nodes a characteristic skin rash, called erythema migrans Erythema migrans is a red circular patch that appears usually 3 days to 1 month after the bite of an infected tick at the site of the bite. The patch then expands, often to a large size. Sometimes many patches appear, varying in shape, depending on their location. Common sites are the thigh, groin, trunk, and the armpits. The center of the rash may clear as it enlarges, resulting in a bulls-eye appearance. The rash may be warm, but it usually is not painful. Not all rashes that occur at the site of a tick bite are due to Lyme disease, however. For example, an allergic reaction to tick saliva often occurs at the site of a tick bite. The resulting rash can be confused with the rash of Lyme disease. Allergic reactions to tick saliva usually occur within hours to a few days after the tick bite, usually do not expand, and disappear within a few days.

Late Lyme Disease: Some symptoms and signs of Lyme disease may not appear until weeks, months, or years after a tick bite: Arthritis is most likely to appear as brief bouts of pain and swelling, usually in one or more large joints, especially the knees. Nervous system abnormalities can include numbness, pain, Bell's palsy (paralysis of the facial muscles, usually on one side), and meningitis (fever, stiff neck, and severe headache). Less frequently, irregularities of the heart rhythm occur. In some persons the rash never forms; in some, the first and only sign of Lyme disease is arthritis, and in others, nervous system problems are the only evidence of Lyme disease. Lyme disease and pregnancy In rare cases, Lyme disease acquired during pregnancy may lead to infection of the fetus and possibly to stillbirth, but adverse effects to the fetus have not been conclusively documented. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) maintains a registry of pregnant women with Lyme disease to advance the understanding of the effects of Lyme disease on the developing fetus. Diagnosis Lyme disease is often difficult to diagnose because its symptoms and signs mimic those of many other diseases.

The fever, muscle aches, and fatigue of Lyme disease can easily be mistaken for viral infections, such as influenza or infectious mononucleosis. Joint pain can be mistaken for other types of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, and neurologic signs can mimic those caused by other conditions, such as multiple sclerosis. At the same time, other types of arthritis or neurologic diseases can be misdiagnosed as Lyme disease. Diagnosis of Lyme disease should take into account History of possible exposure to ticks, especially in areas where Lyme disease is known to occur. Symptoms and signs. The results of blood tests used to determine whether the patient has antibodies to Lyme disease bacteria. These tests are most useful in later stages of illness, but even then they may give inaccurate results. Laboratory tests for Lyme disease have not yet been standardized nationally. Treatment and prognosis Lyme disease is treated with antibiotics under the supervision of a physician. Several antibiotics are effective. Antibiotics usually are given by mouth but may be given intravenously in more severe cases. Patients treated in the early stages with antibiotics usually recover rapidly and completely. Most patients who are treated in later stages of the disease also respond well to antibiotics.

In a few patients who are treated for Lyme disease, symptoms of persisting infection may continue or recur, making additional antibiotic treatment necessary. Varying degrees of permanent damage to joints or the nervous system can develop in patients with late chronic Lyme disease. Typically these are patients in whom Lyme disease was unrecognized in the early stages or for whom the initial treatment was unsuccessful. Rare deaths from Lyme disease have been reported. Prevention Tick Control: Removing leaves and clearing brush and tall grass around houses and at the edges of gardens may reduce the numbers of ticks that transmit Lyme disease. This is particularly important in the eastern United States, where most transmission of Lyme disease is thought to occur near the home. A relationship has been observed between the abundance of deer and the abundance of deer ticks in the eastern United States. Applying acaricides (chemicals that are toxic to ticks) to gardens, lawns, and the edge of woodlands near homes is being done in some areas, but questions remain regarding its effectiveness and environmental safety. Application to residential properties should be supervised by a licensed professional pest control expert. Reducing and managing deer populations in geographic areas where Lyme disease occurs may reduce tick abundance.

Removing plants that attract deer and constructing physical barriers may help discourage deer from coming near homes. Personal protection from tick bites The chances of being bitten by a tick can be decreased with a few precautions. Avoid tick-infested areas, especially in May, June, and July (many local health departments and park or extension services have information on the local distribution of ticks). Wear light-colored clothing so that ticks can be spotted more easily. Tuck pant legs into socks or boots and shirt into pants. Tape the area where pants and socks meet so that ticks cannot crawl under clothing. Spray insect repellent containing DEET on clothes and on exposed skin other than the face, or treat clothes (especially pants, socks, and shoes) with permethrin, which kills ticks on contact. Wear a hat and a long-sleeved shirt for added protection. Walk in the center of trails to avoid overhanging grass and brush. After being outdoors, remove clothing and wash and dry it at a high temperature; inspect body carefully and remove attached ticks with tweezers, grasping the tick as close to the skin surface as possible and pulling straight back with a slow steady force; aviod crushing the tick's body.

In some areas, ticks (saved in a sealed container) can be submitted to the local health department for identification. Preventive Antibiotic Treatment: Antibiotic treatment to prevent Lyme disease after a known tick bite may not be warranted. Physicians must determine whether the advantages of using antibiotics outweigh the disadvantages in any particular instance. If antibiotics are not used, physicians should alert patients to the symptoms of early Lyme disease and advise them to return for reevaluation if symptoms occur. Lyme disease research Where ticks are most likely to be and how best to protect against them. Which chemicals and other approaches are best for controlling ticks in each kind of habitat. Better diagnostic tests. An effective vaccine. Effects of mother's infection on the developing fetus. How Lyme disease bacteria cause chronic infections of the joints and nervous system and how to prevent these complications. For further information, contact the CDC Voice Information System at (404) 332-4555, your physician, or your local health department. POINT OF CONTACT FOR THIS DOCUMENT: To request a copy of this document or for questions concerning this document, please contact the person or office listed below.

If requesting a document, please specify the complete name of the document as well as the address to which you would like it mailed. Note that if a name is listed with the address below, you may wish to contact this person via CDC WONDER/PC e-mail. CAROL D SNAREY DIVISION OF VECTOR-BORNE INFECTIOUS DISEASES Centers for Disease Control 1600 Clifton Rd, NE MS(C-14) Atlanta, GA 30333 This page last reviewed: Wednesday, January 27, 2016 This information is provided as technical reference material. Please contact us at cwus@cdc.gov to request a simple text version of this document. Diseases Spread by Insects - HealthyChildren.org Diseases Spread by Insects Page Content Article Body Diseases spread by insects are a major cause of illness to children and adults worldwide. The following is information about West Nile virus, Lyme disease, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. West Nile Virus In the United States, West Nile virus and outbreaks of various types of encephalitis get plenty of media coverage. These illnesses are carried by mosquitoes and transmitted to humans when the insects bite.

Symptoms: ​Most cases of West Nile virus are mild, with people showing no symptoms or having a fever , headache, and body aches. Less commonly and occurring mostly in older adults, the nervous system is affected and symptoms may include a severe headache, high fever, stiff neck, confusion, seizures, sensitivity to light, muscle weakness, and loss of consciousness. Lyme Disease In some areas of the United States, Lyme disease is an important health concern. Deer ticks are one of the insects that spread the disease. Deer ticks are tiny, black-brown, biting insects about the size of a poppy seed. Symptoms: The first and most obvious symptom of Lyme disease is a rash. It is a red spot surrounded by a light red ring that looks like a target and typically enlarges day by day. In addition to the ring-like rash, some children have additional symptoms such as fever, fatigue, headache, aches and pain in muscles or joints, and swollen glands. Occasionally, children develop a droop of an eyelid and/or the corner of the mouth (facial nerve palsy) or severe headache, vomiting, and stiff neck ( meningitis ).

Weeks to months later (without antibiotic treatment), some children develop swelling of the knee or other joints ( arthritis ). Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Despite the name, Rocky Mountain spotted fever currently occurs mostly in other regions of the United States, including North and South Carolina, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. Ticks spread this bacterial infection. Symptoms: Nausea Vomiting Rash —Most also get a rash that starts as flat red spots that become purple over time. It begins on the ankles and wrists and spreads to the palms and soles and then to the arms and legs and the trunk. If your child has been bitten by an insect and shows any of the above symptoms of West Nile virus infection, Lyme disease, or Rocky Mountain spotted fever, call your child’s doctor. Remember Children need and love to be outdoors. The chance of your children becoming infected with West Nile virus, Lyme disease, or Rocky Mountain spotted fever is quite low. The best way to protect yourself and your children is to follow the guidelines in this article and also see our additional information on insect repellents .

If you have any concerns about insect bites, talk with your child’s doctor.​ Last Updated Source A Parent's Guide to Insect Repellents (Copyright © 2009 American Academy of Pediatrics, Updated 6/2012) The information contained on this Web site should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances. Tickborne Diseases | NIH: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases share with facebook share with twitter share with linkedin Tickborne Diseases Tickborne diseases are becoming a serious problem in the United States as people increasingly build homes in formerly uninhabited wilderness areas where ticks and their animal hosts live. Tickborne diseases can be caused by viruses, bacteria, or parasites. Most people become infected through tick bites during the spring and summer months. Why Is the Study of Tickborne Diseases a Priority for NIAID? Tickborne diseases are becoming a serious problem in this country as people increasingly build homes in formerly uninhabited wilderness areas where ticks and their animal hosts live. Tickborne diseases can be caused by viruses, bacteria, or parasites.

Most people become infected through tick bites during the spring and summer months. How Is NIAID Addressing This Critical Topic? Scientists are searching for better ways to diagnose, treat, and prevent tickborne diseases. They are also looking for ways to control the tick populations that transmit microbes. To learn about risk factors for tickborne diseases and current prevention and treatment strategies visit the MedlinePlus tick bite site . Credit: CDC

Question: What type of animal spreads Lyme disease?
Answer: Tick