Lyme disease is a tick-borne illness caused by a bacteria called
Borrelia burgdorferi. It is a spirochete, which means it is corkscrew-like in shape in addition to having a number of other qualities that lend well toward invading tissues and systems of the body of the infected. It is transmitted to both humans and animals through the bite of ticks infected with the bacteria.
Tick basics Ticks are arachnids that are dependent on the blood and fluids of a host, which is a human or animal with which is comes in contact. The longer these parasites feed on their host, the greater the chance that it transmit an infection that it may be carrying, such as Lyme disease.
Not every tick is a carrier, and Lyme disease isn't the only disease they transmit. All ticks have four life stages: egg, larva, nymph, and finally, adult. First, the egg hatches into a larva, which is also called a "seed tick," and it is no bigger than a grain of sand. The larva has only 6 legs instead of 8, and it begins to feed. As it grows, it molts and becomes a nymph tick, which has 8 legs and is asexual. Nymph ticks are about the size of a poppy seed at most. It continues to feed, and then molts into an adult, which is either male or female. For the female, another blood meal is required to be able to lay eggs. So yeah, definitely dependent upon us hosts for their life cycles! In fact, they require three separate hosts, a different one for each stage of its life. The entire process takes about 2 years.
Ticks will seek out a host by remaining at or slightly above ground level and extending its front set of legs to grab for a host. Ticks cannot see, and they determine the world by temperature, scent, and carbon dioxide (which animals exhale). Different ticks vary in their ability to carry an infection, and this is why some types of ticks more commonly carry infections like Lyme disease than others.
A tick generally acquires an infection through feeding, and the smaller ticks (like nymph stage ones) tend to be able to complete feedings unnoticed. The bite itself is painless, but because the nymph stage ticks are also very tiny, they go unnoticed more often than larger, adult ticks. In order to then transmit the infection, it must maintain the infection in its system through its molt to the next stage. Deer ticks (
Ixodes dammini) frequently maintain the Lyme infection through a molt, and so they are responsible for a high percentage of Lyme disease infections in humans and animals. On the other hand, dog ticks are not always able to maintain the infection and so they transmit the disease less frequently. There are over 850 species of ticks and at least 100 are capable of transmitting diseases. Multiple diseases can be transmitted by a single tick.
In terms of Lyme disease, it occurs WORLDWIDE, but is most prevalent in the Northeastern states of the US, such as New Jersey, Connecticut, New York, and Massachusetts. Transmission of Lyme disease is suspected in other biting insects like flies, fleas, and mosquitos, but it is considered very rare.
How do I avoid a tick bite? There are some things you can do to minimize the chance of being bitten by a tick. If you go for a hike or spend a lot of time in high grasses, for example, tucking your pant legs into your socks (and your shirt into your pants) can help keep them from getting under your clothes. Wear light colored clothing so that you can more easily spot a tick that might be crawling on your clothes.
Most importantly,
perform tick checks frequently. While you're out, and when you return home--whenever you think of it, check! You can also apply repellants to your clothes that help keep ticks from attaching. When you return to your home, change your clothes promptly and toss them into the dryer for a half hour to kill any ticks that may be hiding on the fabric. While the clothes are having their little round of decontamination, take a shower and inspect again for any parasites.
While you're out, try to avoid straying from hiking paths or spending a lot of time in high vegetation. Keep your lawn mowed and trimmed. Larval and nymph ticks prefer shady, moist environments, so keep the area around your house clear of brush. Adults on the other hand prefer tall grasses and shrubs as well as lawns, gardens, the edges of woodlands, etc. No natural, vegetated area can be considered tick-free.
Ticks cannot jump or fly, and require direct contact to attach to a host. They gravitate toward higher, creased and protected areas on the body such as the back of the knee, groin, navel, armpit, ears, nape of the neck, and head.
Tick-check rituals (for people and pets alike) are the best way to reduce the chances of contracting Lyme disease. If you should find an attached tick during one of these checks, don't panic. Again, not every tick is carrying a disease and it
usually takes about 24 hours of feeding to transmit any diseases it may be carrying. So,
removing the tick promptly reduces your chances even if the tick you find is carrying Lyme. Getting rid of the damned things Removal of attached ticks should be done carefully. Tweezers are the best tool for precise and careful removal, but do not twist the tick out of your skin. Its mouth parts are embedded in the skin seeking a blood source.
- Grasp the tick by its head (not its body!) as close to your skin as possible.
Pulling at the body only may remove the most visible part of the tick but could leave parts of the mouth embedded in the skin. If this should happen, seek medical attention for thorough removal by a doctor.
- Don't jerk or tug, but pull firmly and steadily outward until the tick lets go.
Do not burn or squeeze the tick, as it is important to avoid contact with the fluids from the tick. Flushing it down the toilet doesn't do much good either.
- Instead, put the tick into a jar of rubbing alcohol to kill it.
You can then save the tick in case it is needed later for identification or testing.
Even though every tick bite does not result in infection,
every tick bite should be treated as a possible infection. Clean the bite site with alcohol, wash hands thoroughly, and keep an eye on the bite site. If a rash develops, see a doctor immediately. A bulls-eye rash develops in about 60% of cases of Lyme and is considered one of the only reliable signs of infection. But in case you end up in that other 40%, you should still see a doctor within a week of discovering the tick bite.
Most doctors are not eager to prescribe antibiotics and may refuse if you do not present with a bulls-eye rash.
But this is YOUR health, not their medical license or pride, so insist on proper care and caution. If you can, try to get at least a short course of antibiotics as a precautionary measure.
Be safe, be well, be informed.
Still have questions? Let me know so I can do my best to find the answers for you to include in future articles.
Sources for this run-down on tick basics include CMU.edu, LDA, ALDF
Director of Artist Relations: $
General Photography: ^
FAQ #18: 
+ 
<3 
i'm it + CONTEST! 
Pirate
i hate when shit like this pops up. it makes me uncomfortable and vulnerable.
