There are different kinds of ticks. The ones that can give you Lyme disease are called deer ticks because they often live on deer. The infection can spread to people because deer ticks also bite humans. Dogs and other pets can get infected too.

Ticks look a bit like tiny spiders. They go through three different stages of growth, called larva, nymph and adult. At each stage of their growth they feed on the blood of different animals, including small animals like squirrels, mice and some birds. Most cases of Lyme disease happen in the late spring and summer when the young nymph ticks are active and people are spending more time outdoors.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Lyme disease: United States, 2001-2002.
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 2004; 53: 365-369.

 

 

 

 

 

¹

If a tick bites you it can be worrying. But this doesn't mean you'll definitely get Lyme disease. Not all ticks carry the

 

 

 

 

 

bacteria
Bacteria are tiny organisms. There are lots of different types. Some are harmful and can cause disease. But some bacteria live in your body without causing any harm.

 

 

 

 

 

bacteria that cause Lyme disease.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Shapiro ED
Lyme disease.
Pediatrics in Review. 1998; 19: 147-154.

 

 

 

 

 

² The chance of a tick being infected with these bacteria depends on which part of the country you are in.

Also, the tick has to feed from your skin for a long time for it to pass on the bacteria.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Shapiro ED
Lyme disease.
Pediatrics in Review. 1998; 19: 147-154.

 

 

 

 

 

² Doctors think that a tick has to stay feeding on your skin for at least 18 hours to 24 hours for there to be a risk of it passing on the bacteria.

The sooner you spot and remove a tick, the less risk there is that it can pass on the bacteria that causes Lyme disease.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Shapiro ED
Lyme disease.
Pediatrics in Review. 1998; 19: 147-154.

 

 

 

 

 

² See How to remove ticks.

If you are bitten by a tick, it's a good idea to check for the early symptoms of Lyme disease.

Ticks are found in places where there are lots of deer and small animals: forests, plains and areas of high grass.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Learn about Lyme disease.
Available at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/lyme (accessed on 21 May 2008).

 

 

 

 

 

³

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Health Protection Agency.
Lyme borreliosis in England and Wales: 2006.
March 2008. Available at http://www.hpa.org.uk (accessed on 23 May 2008).

 

 

 

 

 

⁴ Ticks that can pass on Lyme disease are most commonly found in the north-eastern and north-central United States, although you can catch the infection in almost every state.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Lyme disease: United States, 2001-2002.
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 2004; 53: 365-369.

 

 

 

 

 

¹

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Shapiro ED
Lyme disease.
Pediatrics in Review. 1998; 19: 147-154.

 

 

 

 

 

²

People who are most at risk of getting Lyme disease include:

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Learn about Lyme disease.
Available at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/lyme (accessed on 21 May 2008).

 

 

 

 

 

³

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Health Protection Agency.
Lyme borreliosis in England and Wales: 2006.
March 2008. Available at http://www.hpa.org.uk (accessed on 23 May 2008).

 

 

 

 

 

⁴

A lot of people who visit these areas for pleasure tend to be at risk from ticks. This may be just because they don't know about the risk from ticks, and so they don't take precautions.

If you work in or go walking in areas where there are ticks, then it is useful to know about the things you can do to prevent tick bites.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Steere AC.
Lyme disease.
New England Journal of Medicine. 2001; 345: 115-125.

 

 

 

 

 

⁵

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Wormser GP, Dattwyler RJ, Shapiro ED, et al.
The clinical assessment, treatment, and prevention of Lyme disease, human granulocytic anaplasmosis, and babesiosis: Clinical Practice Guidelines by the Infectious Diseases Society of America.
Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2006; 43: 1089-1134.

 

 

 

 

 

⁶ For more information, see How to prevent tick bites.

There's no evidence that you can catch Lyme disease from another person, a pet, or other insect bites.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Learn about Lyme disease.
Available at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/lyme (accessed on 21 May 2008).

 

 

 

 

 

³ And there's no evidence that you can catch the disease from food, water or the air.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Learn about Lyme disease.
Available at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/lyme (accessed on 21 May 2008).

 

 

 

 

 

³ The bacteria that cause Lyme disease can live in blood that has been stored for donation. People with long-term Lyme disease have been asked not to donate blood.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Learn about Lyme disease.
Available at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/lyme (accessed on 21 May 2008).

 

 

 

 

 

³

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