Ten Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Tick-Borne Illness

1. Ticks are most active from the late spring to the early fall.
2. Ticks can attach to any part of the body, but prefer hidden locations such as the groin, behind the ears, between the toes, armpits and the scalp.
3. Most cases of Lyme disease are caused by immature ticks, called nymphs, which are about the size of a poppy seed. Because they are difficult to see, they are often not discovered. Adult ticks can also cause Lyme disease, but they are easier to spot and remove.
4. In most cases, a tick must be attached to the host for more than 36-hours to transmit Lyme disease, which is why it is important to check your body for ticks after being outdoors.
5. Most tick-borne illnesses occur in the eastern United States.

6. If a pregnant woman develops Lyme disease, there is a risk of a placental infection, resulting in a possible stillbirth. Pregnant women should avoid areas where ticks may be found, such as the woods, and take preventative steps to limit the chance of a tick bite.

7. Humans cannot develop Lyme disease from eating venison. However, meat should always be cooked fully to reduce the risk of other illnesses.

8. Not all ticks can transmit Lyme disease and not all tick bites will develop a tick-borne illness.

9. The CDC estimates that 300,000 people will develop Lyme disease each year, and that number will continue to rise.

10. While dogs and cats can get Lyme disease from a tick bite, it is not contagious and they cannot infect their human families

 

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