Lyme disease is caused by bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi (B burgdorferi). Blacklegged ticks, deer 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. Your chances of Lyme disease after a tick bite partially depends on the type of tick that bit you and what life cycle stage it's in.
Around the world, there are hundreds of tick species—but what ticks carry Lyme disease? Let’s take a closer look at the specific types of ticks that carry Lyme disease, where and when they’re found, how you can help prevent tick bites, and how to test for Lyme disease from home if you are bitten.
Life cycle of a tick
It’s typical for ticks to live for two to three years. They have a four-stage life cycle—which includes egg, larva, nymph, and adult. When considering what ticks carry Lyme disease, it’s also a good idea to familiarize yourself with the tick life cycle to better understand when transmission of Lyme bacteria is most likely.
Tick larvae
Tick larvae are so small, it’s nearly impossible to find on your body or clothes. Ticks in this stage have not been shown to transmit tick-borne illnesses.
Tick nymph
Ticks in the nymph stage are the most active in late spring and summer and are the main cause of Lyme disease infections. They’re roughly the size of a poppy seed and because they’re so small (and their bite is painless), they’re often not detected.
Adult tick
An adult tick has a flat shape and is about the size of a sesame seed. Because of their small size, they can be tough to find. Most adult ticks who carry Lyme disease will feed on animals like deers, dogs, horses, and other domestic animals.
Tick Life Cycle
Ticks that carry Lyme disease are active year-round. However, their peak season of activity in Ontario is from April to September, though they can survive in below-freezing temperatures as well. During peak time, the tick nymph actively seeks a host and its bite is associated with the greatest risk of Lyme bacteria transmission.
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.
Preventing tick bites and Lyme disease
There are several easy ways to protect yourself from an encounter with Lyme-transmitting ticks:
Wear light-colored protective clothing.
Tuck pant legs into socks when walking outside, especially in grassy areas.
Avoid tick-infested areas.
Check yourself, your children, and your pets daily for ticks and carefully remove any ticks.
If hiking in the outdoors, stay in the center of the trail.
Wear protective clothing, like long-sleeve shirts, pants tucked into your socks, and appropriate shoes.
Steer clear of areas that are known to have an infestation of ticks—like tall grasses and leaf piles.
Use a chemical repellent with DEET, permethrin or picaridin.
Remove and inspect your clothing before and after moving through a high-risk area and examine yourself for ticks.
What to do if you’ve been bitten by a tick
Have you been bitten by a tick? Initially, a small red bump may appear at the site of the bite. This may go away in a few days and doesn’t necessarily indicate Lyme disease.
Signs and symptoms of Lyme disease can vary, and they often appear in stages. Here’s what to look for after a bite.
Rash
An expanding red area with a bulls-eye pattern. This rash, known as erythema migrans, isn’t typically itchy though it can be warm to the touch. Over the course of a few days, the rash typically expands and can get as large as 12 inches across. Although erythema migrans is one of the most notable symptoms of Lyme disease, it doesn’t happen to everyone who is infected.
Other symptoms
Other symptoms of this tick-borne disease may include fever, chills, fatigue, body aches, headache, neck stiffness, and swollen lymph nodes. Some people with an untreated infection develop heart problems (like an irregular heartbeat), eye inflammation, and liver inflammation (hepatitis). In serious cases, untreated Lyme disease can also lead to joint pain and neurological problems. Many people with early-stage lyme disease develop a distinctive circular rash at the site of the tick bite, usually around three to 30 days after being bitten. This is known as erythema migrans. The rash is often described as looking like a bull's-eye on a dart board. Some of the common symptoms are as follows:
Rashes
Fever
Chills
Fatigue
Headache
Symptoms of late-stage lyme disease:
Numbness In hands and legs
Arthritis
Short term memory loss
Medication
Oral antibiotics: Early stages of lyme disease are treated with oral antibiotics. Doxycycline · Amoxicillin · Tetracycline
Intravenous antibiotics: Prescribed for people whose central nervous system is affected by lyme disease. Ceftriaxone · Penicillin
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