About Lyme Disease Q.   What is Lyme disease? A.    Lyme disease is a bacterial infection caused by the bite of a deer tick (Ixodes scapularis) or a western black legged tick (Ixodes pacificus) that is infected with the Lyme disease. If left untreated, it may cause long term illness affecting many parts of the body. Q.   How do you get Lyme disease? A.    It is commonly known that Lyme disease is spread by the bite of a deer tick. However,  researchers believe that other ticks and insects (such as fleas, mosquitoes, and lice) might transmit Lyme disease. Also, the mother of a unborn baby, if infected, could transmit the disease through breast milk, or the infant could be born with the disease. Or, contaminated blood from a blood transfusion could also transmit the disease. Q.   When are you more at risk for Lyme disease? A.    Lyme disease is primarily a warm weather disease as more people are outdoors during the warm weather months, plus ticks normally feed from April to October and the nymphs are most active between May and August. However, adult ticks can remain active well into the winter if the winter is mild. So, if you live in a part of the country with mild weather, you can contract Lyme disease at any time, thus making it a 12-month per-year disease for those milder areas. Q.   Do all tick bites lead to Lyme disease? A.    No. A tick must be infected with Lyme disease in order to transmit the disease. Even if the tick is infected, the bacteria is not always transferred. The longer it is attached to skin, the greater the risk of transmission. Researchers estimate that the probability of infection is low during the first twelve hours of attachment. If an infected tick latches onto you for  feeding (one to three days for a nymph, up to a week for an adult tick) you have a greater chance of contracting the disease. If a tick has been attached, see your physician. And remember, if a rash or flu-like illness should develop, consult your doctor promptly. Q.   What should I do if I am bitten by a tick? A.    If a tick is attached to you, remove it immediately. The longer the tick feeds, the greater the chances that it will transfer the bacteria to you. Using a pair of fine tweezers, grasp the tick as close to your skin as possible and gently pull it away from your skin. Try to make sure that the mouth parts do not remain in the skin. Don't use your bare fingers as the bacteria from a crushed tick can penetrate the skin. Put the tick into a jar and take it to the doctor with you. Thoroughly wash your hands and the bite area with rubbing alcohol. Q.   If you are bitten by a tick, should you go to the doctor? A.   Absolutely.