You just finished a satisfying summer hike or wrapped up a weekend of yard work when you spot a tick clinging to your clothes. The fresh-air high fades quickly as you remember the risks -- ticks are known carriers of Lyme disease, a growing concern across the US.
Lyme disease cases have more than doubled in recent years, according to the CDC, with annual reports jumping from around 42,000 to nearly 90,000. While part of that increase is due to improved detection and reporting methods, the risk is still very real. Whether you're spending time on the trails or just working in your backyard, it's worth knowing how to prevent tick bites, recognize early symptoms and get treatment if needed. A little awareness can go a long way in keeping you and your loved ones safe this summer.
What is Lyme disease?
You can get Lyme disease when a tick bites you, spreading a specific type of bacteria.
Dr. Bobbi Pritt, a pathologist who specializes in the laboratory diagnosis of vector-borne and parasitic diseases, explains the disease more in-depth: "Lyme disease is a bacterial infection spread to humans through the bite of infected blacklegged (deer) ticks. In the United States, it is caused primarily by Borrelia burgdorferi, and to a lesser extent, Borrelia mayonii. Lyme disease is the number-one cause of tick-transmitted disease in the United States."
However, the tick has to carry the bacteria to give you Lyme disease. Not all ticks carry the bacteria. According to the Global Lyme Alliance, anywhere from under 1% to over 50% of black-legged ticks may carry Borrelia burgdorferi, depending on location. However, they may have other pathogens.
Dr. Donald Harker, wilderness medicine fellow at the University of Nevada, Reno, says, "Borrelia burgdorferi is a bacterial spirochete that lives in the midgut of infected ticks, typically requiring extended attachment of a tick to host for transmission to occur."
Lyme disease symptoms
"There are three stages of disease including early localized, early disseminated and late disseminated Lyme disease," says Harker.
Stage 1 Lyme disease symptoms
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