How Many Ways Can You Get Lyme Disease?

Every year in the United States, there are an estimated 300,000 – 400,000 people who contract Lyme disease from exposure to a dangerous tick bite. While some regions in the United States can live relatively worry-free when it comes to ticks, residents of the Northeast don’t have that privilege. For people who live in the Northeastern United States, ticks are a nasty reality that manifests every year when temperatures rise above freezing.

Winter forces ticks to vanish into their shelters, but they return in dramatic fashion when warm temperatures once again return. Such tick-emergence patterns are not just annoying, they are dangerous. Due to warming temperatures in our part of the world, ticks are emerging earlier and departing later than ever, which means their populations can expand rapidly. With more ticks comes the risk of increasing Lyme disease rates; a reality that is already being realized. Government at the state and federal levels has become increasingly concerned about the spread of Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases, highlighting this issue’s importance. However, there are some misconceptions about how Lyme disease is transmitted to victims.

How to contract Lyme disease

Rumors suggest there are various ways one can contract Lyme disease. Thankfully, all answers but one are true. The only way to contract Lyme disease is via a tick bite. So, if you’ve heard that a dog bite or anything similar can also cause Lyme disease, such an assumption is (thankfully) incorrect. Ticks are enough to contend with as it is!

Ticks become Lyme disease carriers by feeding on the blood of animals like mice, deer, birds, and others. Once infected with Lyme disease, ticks can then transmit the disease to other victims, including humans. Fortunately, there’s a catch. Rather than being transmitted instantly, it can take roughly 24 – 48 hours for Lyme disease to enter our bodies. With this short window of action in mind, it is important that you conduct ticks checks after you spend time outdoors, no matter how brief. Ticks, at their smallest, can be no larger than a poppy seed, making them difficult to find. Fortunately, you're not alone in this fight. Mosquito Squad has your back.

Who to trust for effective tick control

At Mosquito Squad, we’ve worked for nearly two decades to defend our clients against the dangers ticks pose to our outdoor enjoyment and health. With the help of our tick barrier protection treatments (also effective against mosquitoes), we can guarantee a dramatic reduction in the tick population on your property. Don’t take risks with your health! Lyme disease is dangerous and increasingly common.

The only way to contract Lyme disease is via a tick bite. For defense against ticks in your yard, look to the experts found at Mosquito Squad of Chelmsford & Cambridge. Give us a call at (978) 381-4028.

Also read: Can you get Lyme disease from a dog bite?