posted
If the tick is not infected or if their immune system fights it off they won't get Lyme. Much in the same way as not everyone who is exposed to strep throat gets sick with it.
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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Hoosiers51
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15759
posted
My understanding is that some ticks do not carry Lyme, and in different areas of the country, the percentages of how many ticks are infected with Lyme change.
I think it is easier to test a tick for Lyme than a person, so the numbers reported are probably pretty accurate, unless there are strains that don't show as testing positive (like STARI in the Southeast and Midwest).
Posts: 4590 | From Midwest | Registered: Jun 2008
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posted
Oh yes! In some places it's like 90% of the ticks carry Lyme.. others like 15%.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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sparkle7
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10397
posted
If they could find people who are immune - it would be great! That way they could use their stem cells to help treat people who are ill.
They did this with HIV. Some people have natural immunities to HIV. They recently did this with someone who had HIV/AIDS & Leukemia. They treated the sick person with the stem cells from the person who was immune. It worked & the person has been "cured" of both AIDS & Leukemia for 3 years.
Theoretically, it could probably work for Lyme, too but the treatments for Lyme are so mired in backwardness... It's probably the case for most illnesses. The drug companies really make it difficult for progressive treatments to be accessible.
Posts: 7772 | From Northeast, again... | Registered: Oct 2006
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seekhelp
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 15067
posted
Yeah, they never come to Lymenet. Posts: 7545 | From The 5th Dimension - The Twilight Zone | Registered: Mar 2008
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posted
Not all ticks carry lyme (and/or other TBDs). Statistics vary by location. Where do you live?
Posts: 212 | From Pennsylvania, USA | Registered: Jul 2009
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posted
I would imagine those who aren't getting sick are because they fall into at least one of the below categories:
Not in an endemic region.
Not bit by an infected tick.
Pull the tick off before the bacteria is transmitted.
Having no symptoms because they have no co-infections, so their body manages the infection.
Got the old lyme vac, I know many who got it who work in the woods all day with dozens of tick bites a day that never get sick.
Have stronger immune systems, some docs have shown about 20% of the population has a genetic marker that makes them more susceptible for tick born disease
Have had very few tick bites(Unlike me, who practically lived in the woods)
They are just very lucky
Theres many many reasons I can think of why not all tick bites cause disease, the above list is just what I could think of.
Posts: 121 | From Silver Spring, Maryland | Registered: Oct 2009
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METALLlC BLUE
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6628
posted
A healthy immune system has little to do with whether someone gets Lyme or not. If the tick is infected and bites a very strong healthy athletic person who eats right, sleeps right and keeps their stress levels and social relationships healthy -- they usually will still get Lyme Disease. Are they in a better position then someone with the opposite circumstances to fight it off? Yes, does it gaurantee it? No.
Everyone else answered all the other questions. The people who don't get Lyme and were bitten 99% of the time probably were bitten by an uninfected tick. (Not a real number, just my observation).
Add multiple co-infections on top of Lyme, and it'll take down almost anyone.
-------------------- I am not a physician, so do your own research to confirm any ideas given and then speak with a health care provider you trust.
quote:Originally posted by METALLlC BLUE: [QB] A healthy immune system has little to do with whether someone gets Lyme or not. If the tick is infected and bites a very strong healthy athletic person who eats right, sleeps right and keeps their stress levels and social relationships healthy -- they usually will still get Lyme Disease. Are they in a better position then someone with the opposite circumstances to fight it off? Yes, does it gaurantee it? No.
I agree!
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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posted
I pulled probably 50 ticks off me that had attached within a year and a half before finally getting ill. A few had been attached for a day, but only one that was so engorged that he rolled off me! We assume he was somewhere on my head and that is why we didn't find it; When I saw that one, I figured I was in trouble. About a week later, I got very sick. The first titers were negative for Lyme antibodies, and low positive already for RMSF. Second set 3 weeks later were positive for both. So....the exposure that made me ill was the one that was over 24 hours attachment. Fortunately for me! And I might add-I did NOT remove all those ticks in a safe way-those lone star ticks dig in deep, and I had to squeeze and pull some of them. I don't know if that means that my immune system fought well but finally succumbed, or if it really does take long exposure in order to transmit the diseases.
Posts: 283 | From where the ticks are! | Registered: Oct 2009
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posted
Oh, my. Then either my immune system managed the load prior to that, OR it is possible that the ticks before that one were not infected.
Posts: 283 | From where the ticks are! | Registered: Oct 2009
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sutherngrl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 16270
posted
Not every tick is infected. It also depends on what part of the country you were bitten in.
Some areas have higher percentages of infected ticks. Many areas the percentages are growing at a rapid pace. For instance now in the southeastern states there are more and more infected ticks showing up.
Posts: 4035 | From Mississippi | Registered: Jul 2008
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