Does anyone know how long a tick has to be embedded before you contract lyme? Is it 24-30 hours? or it doesn't matter how long?
Posted by Virginia of Yore (Member # 3269) on :
The answer depends on who you talk to--some say within a few hours, while many average docs and non-LLMDs think it has to have been on for at least 2-3 days. (I disagree with the latter.) If the tick is already securely attached and you squeeze it or irritate it, there's probably a good chance it can infect you no matter how many days or hours it has been attached, as it can regurgitate its stomach contents into you--with Bb and whatever other nasty bugs are there.
Posted by robi (Member # 5547) on :
Most non-LLMD will tell you 24 to 36 hours. I would say, and I am not a doc, you should have at least 5 to 6 weeks of doxy.
You then have a chance of not hanging around here for to long. Otherwise, nice to meet ya.
True the tick my not be carrying Lyme, but the risk here is a potentially life changing disease versus a few weeks of Doxy upsetting your stomach and maybe a yeast infection, but that is far, far, far preferable to this crappy disease that doesn't kill only you wish it would.
My dog had a tick on her for less than a day and she got 100 mg of doxy a day for a month. The vet just said better safe then sorry in this case. On the other hand people docs don't seem to have it in there heads just how bad this can be.
Waiting to is the wrong response. When and where were you bit?
robi
Posted by katieb (Member # 11398) on :
Thank you for the information. My son lives in California and goes hiking. He found a Tick in his armpit. Should he be treated with Antibiotics?
Posted by TerryK (Member # 8552) on :
Melanie Reber posted these back in May 07
Disseminated Lyme disease after short-duration tick bite Michael A. Patmas, MD, FACP and Carolina Remorca, MD. JSTD 1994; 1:77-78.
Lyme disease, an Ixodes tick-borne spirochetal infection, has been the subject of much controversy. One problematic area has been the prophylactic treatment of deer-tick bites in endemic areas. Some have argued against routine antimicrobial prophylaxis based upon the belief that transmission of Borrelia burgdorferi is unlikely before 24-48 hours of tick attachment. Others have suggested that it is cost effective to administer prophylactic antibiotics against Lyme disease when embedded deer-tick bites occur in endemic areas.
Herein, a case of disseminated Lyme disease after only 6 hours of tick attachment is presented. The current recommendation against treatment of short-duration tick bites may need reconsideration, particularly in hyperendemic areas. Color pictures.
SHORT REPORT: DURATION OF TICK ATTACHMENT REQUIRED FOR TRANSMISSION OF POWASSAN VIRUS BY DEER TICKS GREGORY D. EBEL AND LAURA D. KRAMER Arbovirus Laboratories, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Slingerlands, New York; Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Public Health, The University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, New York Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 71(3), 2004, pp. 268-271
ABSTRACT
Infected deer ticks (Ixodes scapularis) were allowed to attach to naive mice for variable lengths of time to determine the duration of tick attachment required for Powassan (POW) virus transmission to occur. Viral load in engorged larvae detaching from viremic mice and in resulting nymphs was also monitored. Ninety percent of larval ticks acquired POW virus from mice that had been intraperitoneally inoculated with 105 plaque-forming units (PFU). Engorged larvae contained approximately 10 PFU.
Transstadial transmission efficiency was 22%, resulting in approximately 20% infection in nymphs that had fed as larvae on viremic mice. Titer increased approximately 100-fold during molting.
Nymphal deer ticks efficiently transmitted POW virus to naive mice after as few as 15 minutes of attachment, suggesting that unlike Borrelia burgdorferi, Babesia microti, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum, no grace period exists between tick attachment and POW virus transmission.
Posted by adamm (Member # 11910) on :
Some say you can get it immediately upon being bitten, which I
believe. After all, there have been documented cases in which
people got it from mosquitos.
Posted by Geneal (Member # 10375) on :
There was a video on U-tube I believe of two guys.
One let a tick crawl up his leg and embed itself.
They showed the time on the video.
In one hour there was the clear beginnings of a bulls-eye rash.
I am more afraid of the ones you don't see.
Hugs,
Geneal
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
30 seconds
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
quote:Originally posted by katieb: Thank you for the information. My son lives in California and goes hiking. He found a Tick in his armpit. Should he be treated with Antibiotics?
Yes.
Posted by jamescase20 (Member # 14124) on :
my 2nd tick bite...6 years ago when i believe i got bart no.1 subspc. it was only seconds. I believe I had already been infet. with lyme though.
Posted by katieb (Member # 11398) on :
Thank you all for the good information. I will pass it along.
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