The Ixodes Outreach Project has been given grant money to conduct outreach programming. This spring we offered Minnesota and Wisconsin high schools the opportunity to receive a virtual presentation on Lyme disease, managing tick bite risk, and information on how they can contribute to our research.
We received a lot of great questions as a result of these talks, so the head of our lab said, "Hey maybe we should answer these questions on the blog."
So, we are launching this new "feature." Each week we will post a question from a high school student with the answer until we run out.
If anyone out there has other questions, please send them in! We can always adapt and make it a The Community Wants to Know feature.
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Question #1:
What percentage of ticks carry the ability to give someone/what are the odds of getting Lyme disease?
The percentage of ticks carrying the bacteria responsible for Lyme disease varies, but typically about 30-50% of ticks in Minnesota are expected to be carrying the bacteria.
The odds of getting Lyme disease is affected by the length of time a tick is attached during feeding. Even if the tick has the bacteria in it's system, if it is removed right away the odds of catching Lyme disease is lessened. According to the CDC, "In most cases, the tick must be attached for 36 to 48 hours or more before the Lyme disease bacterium can be transmitted." Read more from the CDC here.
Post by C. Fisher
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