Comments on: How come i never got lyme disease from a tick even though i was bit by one?

By: The Markster

The Markster — Mon, 18 May 2009 02:47:59 +0000

Maybe because the tick wasn’t infected??
Remember, only certain species of tick can transfer the disease.
& they have to be infected themselves in order to pass it on.
All blood tests we have now are problematical. The one most commonly given is only 50% accurate, at best.
You need to be clinically diagnosed with Lyme disease by a doctor familiar with the disease.
Blood tests can help diagnose here, but aren’t to be relied on.
References :

By: Dekayel

Dekayel — Mon, 18 May 2009 02:37:59 +0000

Not all ticks carry Lyme. That being said, there are many cases where people were bit by ticks and didn’t fall ill until years later. It appears that sometimes the bacteria can go “underground”–perhaps held at bay by your immune system–only to burst forth much later.

Are you experiencing symptoms now that seem like they could be Lyme-related? If so, it’s worth educating yourself about the disease.

Good sources of info about Lyme disease:
http://www.lymedisease.org
http://www.canlyme.com
http://www.lymenet.org
http://www.lymeinfo.net
http://www.lymediseaseassociation.org
http://www.ilads.org
http://www.betterhealthguy.com

References :

By: Jon M

Jon M — Mon, 18 May 2009 01:55:59 +0000

the tick has to be attached to you for at least a day in order for infection to occur, and even then it only results in infection in 1% of people bitten.

diagnosis is based upon clinical examination rather than blood tests as
1 the bacterium responsible is dificult to culture in a lab
2 serological tests are not 100% reliable for a large variety of reasons

a bite infected with lyme disease may show as a characteristic "bulls eye" http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/Bullseye_Lyme_Disease_Rash.jpg
References :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyme_disease#Transmission
a course in microbiology and a friends who had lyme disease (took a few months before he was diagnosed)

By: Black Diamond

Black Diamond — Mon, 18 May 2009 01:19:59 +0000

Not all ticks are carriers.
References :

By: cassandra s

cassandra s — Mon, 18 May 2009 00:45:59 +0000

a tick does not always carry lime disease…. you can find out if you have it by a regular blood test but if you feel ok then you probably dont have it. and if you got bit at 4 you would most likeley be dead by now if you actually had it…. so if you think you have it now if youve gotten bit recently then you should go to the doctor but if not then id say you are fine.
References :
common sense

By: PJ

PJ — Mon, 18 May 2009 00:24:59 +0000

Not all ticks have lyme disease, and perhaps you were just strong enough to fight it off. No, you would need a special blood test that looks specifically for lyme's disease. If this happened when you were 4 I don't think you have anything to worry about now.
References :

By: kay_flood

kay_flood — Sun, 17 May 2009 23:49:59 +0000

not all ticks carry Lyme disease. had you contracted it, you would have known long before now.
References :
RN

By: Alethia MD

Alethia MD — Sun, 17 May 2009 23:34:59 +0000

Because Lyme disease is caused by a bacteria called Borrelia, wich is transmitted by tick bites, but not all ticks have the bacteria.
References :
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/lymedisease.html

By: fluffy bunny

fluffy bunny — Sun, 17 May 2009 22:51:59 +0000

the tick was not infected with lyme disease
References :