Lyme disease starts when Borrelia bacteria enter your body through the bite of an infected tick. In the United States, blacklegged ticks, also called deer ticks, are the main carriers, including Ixodes scapularis in the East and north-central states and Ixodes pacificus along the Pacific Coast. Tiny blacklegged tick nymphs most often spread Lyme disease,…
Ticks can carry diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, and parasites. In the United States, blacklegged ticks, lone star ticks, American dog ticks, and Rocky Mountain wood ticks are the main disease-transmitting ticks. The illness you may face depends on the tick species, where you were exposed, and how long the tick fed. If you find…
Ticks can stay on clothing long enough to reach your home. Dry indoor air usually shortens their survival. On dry clothes, a tick can survive for several hours to a few days. Damp or humid clothing can keep it alive longer. The safest approach is to handle worn garments promptly. Dry them with heat when…
Borrelia bacteria cause Lyme disease. Certain ticks carry these bacteria. In the United States, blacklegged ticks, including the eastern blacklegged tick and western blacklegged tick, spread Lyme disease through a tick bite. Only infected ticks can transmit Lyme. The eastern species spreads Lyme across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and north-central states. The western species spreads it…
Ticks live in every Michigan county, especially in wooded areas, brush, tall grass, and places where wildlife travel. The species you are most likely to encounter include the blacklegged tick, American dog tick, lone star tick, brown dog tick, and woodchuck tick. Learn which ticks are in Michigan, when they are active, and how to…
Ticks can stay attached for several days while they feed. The exact time depends on the tick species, life stage, and your body’s response. Nymphs may feed for a few days. Adult females often remain attached longer as they take a larger blood meal. Remove an attached tick as soon as you find it. You…
Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) is a red meat allergy that can develop after certain tick bites. If you are asking what ticks carry alpha-gal, the clearest U.S. answer is the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum. Other ticks, including the blacklegged tick, have also been linked to alpha-gal-containing antigens, though their role in causing AGS remains less…
Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) is a food allergy that can develop after a tick bite. It may cause reactions to mammalian meat and other products containing alpha-gal, a molecule found in most mammals but not in people. In the United States, the lone star tick most strongly causes alpha-gal sensitization. Other ticks may also play a…
Ticks can survive without a host far longer than you might expect. Depending on the species, life stage, stored energy, temperature, and humidity, a tick may live from several weeks to one to three years without another blood meal. A tick can survive without feeding, but it cannot grow, molt, or reproduce without a blood…
If you are wondering what ticks look like, picture a tiny, flat or oval-bodied arachnid with eight legs clustered toward the front. Ticks can be reddish brown, gray, black, or patterned. Their appearance changes dramatically after a blood meal. Look for eight legs, a compact body, and a small mouthpart structure at the front. Consider…