What Kind Of Ticks Give You Lyme Disease

Mapping Lyme: Cdc Reveals Distribution Of Lyme Disease

Ticks and Lyme Disease: What You Need to Know

A new study by CDC researchers maps the distribution of Lyme disease spirochetes, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto and Borrelia mayonii, in host-seeking blacklegged ticks or western blacklegged ticks , relative to the previously reported distribution of these vector species. Ticks were considered present in a county if at least one tick was recorded. Counties where ticks have been reported without records of infection may be reported as such either if ticks were not tested or if the pathogen was not detected in tested samples.

Scientists think ticks could be up to 300 million years old. The fossil record even includes amber-encased ticks still engorged with their last dino meal.

Melissa Mayer

Which is amazing. Those blood-sucking arthropods have been doing their thing for longer than humans have existedand their thing includes carrying disease. Ticks are responsible for more than 75 percent of the vector-borne illnesses reported to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention every year. The most common of these is Lyme disease with 30,000 to 40,000 annual reported casesthough the CDC estimates the actual number of cases, most of which go unreported, could be more than 400,000 annually.

Lone Star Ticks And Tularemia

Found from west-central and east-central Texas up to the coast of Maine, lone star ticks are brown or tan, and about one-third of an inch long. Females have a distinctive white spot on their backs, while males have scattered spots or lines outlining their bodies. They can bite at any stage of their three-year lifecycle.

Lone star ticks can spread ehrlichiosis and tularemia, notes the CDC. Tularemia symptoms include skin rash or ulcer and a high fever. The infection can be treated with antibiotics, but if left untreated, it can be fatal. Lone star tick bites can also transmit southern tick-associated rash illness , which shares some Lyme disease symptoms. Signs of STARI include a bull’s-eye rash at the bite site that often appears within a few days of the bite and can expand to three inches across. Though STARI symptoms include body aches, fever, and fatigue just as Lyme disease does, STARI doesn’t carry the long-term effects of Lyme.

More recently, according to a 2013 report in TheAmerican Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, lone star ticks have transmitted the rare Heartland virus. Infection causes fever, headaches, and low platelet and white blood cell counts. There is no treatment.

Should I Have The Tick Tested For Lyme Disease

No, testing a tick for Lyme disease is not helpful. It is usually not the tick you find, but the tick that you dont find that gives you Lyme. A tick that tests negative for Lyme may only give you false assurance. If you live somewhere with Lyme disease, it is best to assume that the deer tick that bit you is infected and can spread the infection.

Also Check: How Do You Get Tested For Lyme Disease

What To Do If You Do Get Bitten

1. Don’t panic. It’s a hard rule to follow, Pritt admits, but remember that not every tick carries a harmful bacteria or virus.

2. Forget the folk remedies: “Grab a pair of fine tipped tweezers, remove as quickly as possible as close to skin as you can by pulling it out in a smooth, continuous motion without twisting it,” Pritt says. And don’t light a match or roll it in butter, as in fact, those methods often result in only partial removal.

3. Save it: Put the tick in a plastic bag in the freezer, especially if you think it may have been attached a long time, which may increase the risk of Lyme disease transmission. That way if you decide to see a doctor, they’ll be able to identify the type of tick that bit you, and even test it for disease-causing bacteria. Keep in mind, though, that you may not get infected even if the tick tests positive, Dempsey says.

4. Watch for symptoms: A rash, headache, flu-like symptoms and joint pain can all be signs of Lyme disease, anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis. A stiff neck and swollen lymph nodes are associated with Lyme disease.

IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS: Many people with Lyme disease don’t remember getting a rash or a tick bite. So mention your concerns to your health care provider. Blood tests may be able to detect Lyme disease after your body has developed antibodies.

What Is Disseminated Lyme Disease

This is when the bacteria that causes Lyme disease spreads throughout your body.
This can occur within days to months after the tick bite.
Symptoms include:
Multiple erythema migrans rashes.,
Nervous system involvement .,
Heart involvement .,
Connective tissue involvement .,
Eye involvement .,

Disseminated Lyme disease is often accompanied by “flu-like” symptoms and extreme fatigue. Joint and muscle problems are often migratory and other symptoms may come and go.

Wood Tick Lyme Disease

The Lyme disease bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, is spread through the bite of infected ticks.The blacklegged tick spreads the disease in the northeastern, mid-Atlantic, and north-central United States.The western blacklegged tick spreads the disease on the Pacific Coast.Ticks can attach to any part of the human.

Use Repellents On Your Skin And Clothing

Deet has long been used as a tick repellent along with Permethrin, however, both can be toxic to humans and pets so you may want to choose from the natural repellents listed below.

2-undecanone, which comes from the leaves and stems of wild tomato plants, bananas, cloves, ginger, guava, strawberries, and the perennial leaf vegetable Houttuynia cordata. 2-undecanone comes in both synthetic and natural forms and can be used on both skin and clothing. Essential Oils from rosemary, lemongrass, cedar, peppermint, clove bud, thyme, neem seed, blue tansy, and geraniol. Essential oils can be used directly on the skin, and it is recommended to try a mixture of different oils to find which work best for you.

After returning from outside, inspect both yourself and your pets for any ticks that may still be looking for a free meal. Remove and wash all clothing followed by a cycle in a hot clothes dryer.

Don’t Miss: Lyme Disease Test Turnaround Time

Blacklegged Tick Lyme Disease

The Lyme disease bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, is spread through the bite of infected ticks.The blacklegged tick spreads the disease in the northeastern, mid-Atlantic, and north-central United States.The western blacklegged tick spreads the disease on the Pacific Coast.Ticks can attach to any part of the human.

Where Will Lyme Disease Cases Increase

Ticks and Lyme disease

Several areas in the United States have already issued tick bite and Lyme disease warnings this year.

ishonestNo.201 – Prevent Elasticity Damage

Pennsylvania is also on watch. The state has, historically, been a hotspot for ticks, with more than double the amount of Lyme disease cases than any other state in recent years, according to the CDCs Lyme disease surveillance map.

Other parts of the country are seeing an increase in other tick species and tick-borne diseases. Oregon recently reported an unusual spike in Colorado tick fever, a rare tick-borne virus transmitted by the Rocky Mountain wood tick.

Theres also a new type of tick the Asian longhorned tick thats quickly spreading across the East Coast.

Typically found in the Western hemisphere, the Asian longhorned tick was first detected in the United States in 2017. Since then, its been spotted in Arkansas, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.

The longhorned tick has the potential to carry many other diseases, which could have a devastating effect on the U.S. population. Its imperative that we devote significant efforts to track its range and ways to contain its further spread, Glatter said.

You May Like: Elisa Test For Lyme Disease

What Causes Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is caused by bacteria that is spread to humans by tick bites. The ticks that carry the spirochete are:

Black-legged deer tick
Western black-legged tick

Ticks prefer to live in wooded areas, low-growing grasslands, and yards. Not all ticks carry the Lyme disease bacteria. Depending on the location, anywhere from less than 1% to more than 50% of the ticks are infected with it.

While most tick bites are harmless, several species can cause life-threatening diseases. Tick-borne diseases include:

Rocky Mountain spotted fever

Do All Ticks Transmit Lyme Disease

No. In the northeastern and north-central U.S., the black-legged tick carries Lyme disease. In the Pacific coastal U.S., the western black-legged tick spreads the disease.

Other major tick species in the U.S., like the lone star tick and the dog tick, do NOT transmit the Lyme disease bacterium. But beware: All 50 states have reported Lyme disease, as well as Canada, Europe, Asia, Australia, and South America.

You May Like: Symptoms Of Lyme Disease In Dogs

Lyme Disease The Main Disease Transmitted To Humans

In France, the main disease transmitted to humans by ticks is Lyme disease. It is caused by a bacteria belonging to the group B. burgdorferi sensu lato, which comprises at least five species pathogenic to humans which are found in France.

Several days after a tick bite, erythema migrans appears, spreading outward from the central bite location. At this stage, an antibiotic treatment can effectively treat the disease. However, without treatment the disease can cause cutaneous, muscular, neurological and articular damage that may be highly disabling.

Antibiotic treatments exist which are effective if administered rapidly. It is therefore important to obtain a prompt diagnosis following a tick bite.

How To Avoid Getting Bitten

To avoid a tick encounter, you’ll want to be vigilant about taking precautions whenever you’re spending a significant amount of time outdoors in tick territory, whether you’re hiking or mowing your lawn. Fortunately, the same prevention techniques work for all types of ticks, Pritt says:

1. Get dorky: Repelling ticks starts with your outfit. Choose long sleeves and pants if possible. “And it may feel dorky, but tucking your pants into your socks gives ticks less access into the areas they can bite,” says Pritt, who wears white coveralls and duct-tapes the legs to her socks when going on tick drags. Spray exposed skin with a good repellent. And treat clothes likely to be worn in tick habitat ahead of time with a permethrin repellent for the greatest protection.

2. Strip: After your adventure – even if it’s just mowing the lawn – the easiest way to make sure ticks stay outside is to disrobe as soon as possible shed all your clothes on a porch before going inside to keep any hangers-on outside if possible jump in the shower, check for ticks and scrub. Remember that disease-carrying ticks can be tiny: at the nymph stage, when it’s likely to bite you, a black-legged tick is the size of a poppy seed. Don’t forget about pets and kids. Check them for ticks outside otherwise, a tick can fall off a dog inside and bite you.

3. Disinfect: Throw discarded clothes into the dryer on high heat for at least six minutes to kill any stragglers.

Recommended Reading: Do Ticks In Florida Carry Lyme Disease

How Do I Avoid Getting Bitten By A Tick

The best way to protect you against Lyme disease and other tickborne illnesses is to avoid tick bites. This includes avoiding tick-infested areas. However, if you live in or visit wooded areas or areas with tall grass and weeds, follow these precautions against Lyme disease and other tickborne diseases like Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis and tularemia:

Ticks That Dont Transmit Lyme Disease

While both the deer tick and western blacklegged tick can carry and transmit Lyme disease to humans, there are a large number of other tick species in the United States that dont carry or spread the disease. These include the following tick species:

Lone Star ticks

American dog tick

Rocky Mountain wood tick
Brown dog tick

Keep in mind that just because a tick doesnt carry Lyme disease, doesnt mean that a bite from that tick is entirely without risk. For example, the Rocky Mountain wood tick, brown dog tick, and American dog tick are all capable of carrying and spreading Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

How Ticks Spread Lyme Disease:

According to the CDC, ticks spread the Lyme disease bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, by biting and feeding on humans. They attach from a loose stalk of grass or foliage, before crawling into a hard to see, blood-rich part of the body like the groin, armpit, or scalp. Ticks that are found and unattached quickly usually dont transmit the bacteria, but ticks attached for anywhere from 36 to 48 hours will easily spread the disease.

What Ticks Can Give You Lyme Disease

Ticks can cause Lyme disease and tick paralysis – Lance Owens, DO

2.8 Ticks Carrying Lyme Disease

What ticks can give you lyme diseasePeople can get many of the same tick-borne diseases that affect dogs. Lyme disease is probably the best known. One of the first symptoms is a bulls-eye rash. You cant catch tick-borne diseases directly from your pet, but the same ticks that bite your animals can nibble on you, too.

Recommended Reading: What Is The Test For Lyme Disease Called

Check Your Local Tick Forecast

Your personal disease risk is highly dependent on your location.

Tick prevalence hinges on a number of local factors that make sweeping generalizations tricky, says Dr. George Dempsey of East Hampton Family Medicine and Bay Area Lyme Foundation’s Lyme Disease Biobank. That’s why he’s skeptical when he hears predictions for upcoming tick seasons.

“Every year they say it’s going to be a big year – either because of acorns or cold winters or warm winters…” he says, but all of those factors vary from one location to the next.

Currently, a mild winter plus a hot, humid summer in the Midwest is bringing out ticks earlier than usual, for example. “It’s prime time – ticks are already out and about in Minnesota,” says Elizabeth Schiffman, epidemiologist supervisor at the Minnesota Department of Health.

Regional differences are shifting as well. In East Hampton, New York, Dempsey is seeing more Lone Star ticks, a relative newcomer to the area, and fewer black-legged ticks resulting in less Lyme disease. And back on that Muir Beach trail in California, Salkeld’s team got its second surprise when they tested the ticks they found.

“Our prediction would have been that they didn’t have Lyme, but they were just as high as ticks in woodland areas,” he says, leading him to pose the question in his study: Should infection prevalence in ticks be reported at a hyper-local level possibly even for a single trail?

Symptoms Of Lyme Disease

A circular or oval shape rash around a tick bite can be an early symptom of Lyme disease in some people.

The rash can appear up to 3 months after being bitten by an infected tick, but usually appears within 1 to 4 weeks. It can last for several weeks.

The rash can have a darker or lighter area in the centre and might gradually spread. It’s not usually hot or itchy.

The rash may be flat, or slightly raised, and look pink, red, or purple when it appears on white skin. It can be harder to see the rash on brown and black skin and it may look like a bruise.

Some people also get flu-like symptoms a few days or weeks after they were bitten by an infected tick, such as:

a high temperature, or feeling hot and shivery
headache
tiredness and loss of energy

Some people with Lyme disease develop more severe symptoms months or years later.

This is more likely if treatment is delayed.

These more severe symptoms may include:

pain and swelling in joints
nerve problems such as pain or numbness
heart problems
trouble with memory or concentration

Don’t Miss: What Tests Are Done For Lyme Disease

Ticks Spreading Farther Across Us Raising Risk Of Lyme Disease Infections

Although spring has just begun, tick season is already well underway.

The slew of wet weather seen across the country has ticks crawling out and about earlier than usual.

Seeing as most ticks thrive in warm, moist weather, tick season will likely be especially tough this year, health officials predict.

ishonestNo.233 – Pigmentation & Blemishes

While regions across the country were either unseasonably cold or warm this past winter, theres one factor that almost all of them had in common: excessive moisture, Jim Fredericks, PhD, the chief entomologist for the National Pest Management Association , said in the NPMAs bi-annual Bug Barometer press release.

From record-setting snow in parts of Texas and Arizona to excessive rain in the southeast, continued precipitation predicted for most of the country this upcoming season will allow pest populations to continue to thrive and multiply, he said.

Lyme Disease Tick Size

Where These Ticks Are Found

Lyme disease ticks can be found in leaf litter, woodpiles, stone walls, tall grass, beach grass, bushy areas, areas planted with ground covers, and lawn edges that meet forests, woodlots, and gardens. Essentially, Lyme disease ticks can be found anywhere their hosts live, though they tend to prefer moist and shady areas. The deer tick is infected by vertebrate animals like white-footed mice, chipmunks, shrews, ground-feeding birds, and other small mammals that have Lyme disease bacteria themselves.

How Is Lyme Disease Treated

Your healthcare provider will figure out the best treatment for you based on:

How old you are

Lyme disease in the earliest stage is usually treated with antibiotics for 2 to 3 weeks.

Treatment will also be considered based on these and other factors:

If you are bitten by a tick that tests positive for the bacteria that causes Lyme disease
If you are bitten by a tick and have any of the symptoms
If you are bitten by a tick and are pregnant
If you are bitten by a tick and live in a high-risk area

Recommended Reading: Foods To Avoid With Lyme Disease