HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Multiple ways to contract?

Support Forums
>
Lyme Disease
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 10/10/2011 8:45 AM (GMT -5)

I know that it is possible to contract lyme if an infected tick were on you for 24-72 hours (depending where you get the information), for these questions, lets assume 48 hours...  is that time cut to 24 hours if 2 infected ticks were on you are the same time?

Also, if 1 infected tick is in you for 24 hours, you find it and pull it off, and a week, month, or year pass, and another infected tick bites you for an additional 24 hours, would that 48 hour total result in your getting Lyme?

Thanks!

Posted 10/10/2011 10:34 AM (GMT -5)
Hi Gpm!
Welcome to our forum!! Do you suspect that you have a tick-borne infection(TBI)?

You have asked one of those million dollar questions. Here's the thing - each and every person that gets bit by an infected tick, mosquito, or other biting insect or spider that is infected with Lyme will not contract Lyme or another tick-borne infection. This is due -in large part- to what your body might already be dealing with. If you have an undiagnosed thyroid condition say, you have a certainly level of susceptibility, but if you also have a chronic infection of Epstein-Barr Virus (Mono), then your chances of your body not being able to fight off the Lyme grows. Keep adding little issues that your body may be dealing with - including stress - then your immunity goes even lower and your chance of having an infection that your body can't fight off grows.

Just so that you know - I don't believe it has ever been truly proven that it takes more than minutes to transfer a tick-borne infection from bug to human, so if you have had a tick attach for any amount of time and feel like you may have 'pick something up' like the flu or something, then you really, really need to be seen by a Lyme Disease Specialist, called LLMD's (Lyme Literate Medical Doctors), as they are the only one who know enough about these infections to be able to know if you really have an infection or not. Event he CDC tells us that these diagnosis have to be made based on clinical findings - by the symptoms - as the blood tests are only for tracking purposes.

If you haven't already, it would be beneficial for you to start with reading through the thread at the top of the forum titled,"New to Lyme?...Start here!!", as it is packed full of relevant information, symptoms lists and informative links that have been put together by our members here! Most of those who have read through it have said that it was very helpful!! We also have a pretty good search function on this forum to help you narrow down your search for information from past posts. We must be our own health advocates now and the best thing to arm yourself with is knowledge!

If you feel that you need to see a LLMD, we can help you located one as close to you as possible.
Posted 10/11/2011 5:16 AM (GMT -5)
Guidelines that try to assign a specific timeframe to a tick bite before it's considered dangerous are gross oversimplifications. If the tick is actually feeding you're getting exposed to any infectious agents it harbors. A longer attachment period might expose you to a higher number, but that's not a necessary precondition for an infection.

Multiple bites can cause cumulative effects, but again, worrying about how long each was attached distracts from the more important details; ie symptoms that occur after the bite.

Posted 10/11/2011 11:57 AM (GMT -5)
Agreed! I just read in one scientific article that LD spirochetes can be found in the brain in as little as 6 hours after a bite from an infected tick!
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply