Fact: Lyme disease is a big deal. With about 35,000 cases of the tick-transmitted bacterial disease being reported each year—and it now spreading to new parts of the country thanks to climate change—it's safe to say that being outdoorsy also means being on high-alert. But if it turns out a tick has latched onto your body, what are the odds you'll contract it?
You can breathe a sigh of relief: There's only a one to three percent chance you're at risk, say experts. "The likelihood of an individual tick bite transmitting Lyme [disease] depends on the type of tick, where you acquired it, and how long it was attached," says Amesh Adalja, M.D., a board-certified infectious disease physician at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
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There are many types of ticks that bite people, but it's only the deer tick (lxodes scapularis) and Western black-legged tick (lxodes pacificus) that can carry the Lyme disease bacteria. "The percentage of these specific ticks that harbor the bacteria can vary geographically, and that will influence the rates of Lyme disease in the population of those areas, as well as the likelihood that any given lxodes tick bite will transmit the bacteria," says Adalja.
Which means where you live can seriously up the ante: Approximately 95 percent of confirmed Lyme disease cases are reported from 14 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The current chart-toppers include Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. (See where your state ranks.)
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Luckily, if you're on top of your game and check your body for ticks on the regular—especially if you spend a lot of time outside and live in the above states—the odds of getting Lyme disease lower considerably. A tick can only transmit the disease if they've been attached to your body for at least 36 hours, says Damon Raskin, M.D., a board-certified internist in California. This is because your blood needs to activate the bacteria, which then makes its way through your system.
If you do find a tick, give it a once-over: If it's brown and the size of a sesame or poppy seed, then it's potentially a Lyme-carrying critter. Immediately remove it using a pair of fine tweezers, says Raskin. Make sure to grasp it as close to the skin as possible so as to get rid of the entire (nasty) thing, then wash the area with soap and water.
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If the tick is flat, not attached, or not filled with blood, there's no chance it could cause Lyme disease, says Raskin. (Phew.) But if it's filled with blood and you're not sure how long it's been attached, check in with your doc and get started on antibiotics. The most frequently prescribed antibiotics are amoxicillin, doxycycline, and cefuroxime axetil—so even if the tick did spread Lyme your way, getting treated in the early stages usually means rapid and complete recovery, says Raskin. (Double phew.)
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