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You are here: NPIC Home Page —> Pest Control Information —> Managing Ticks and Preventing Tick Bites —> Lyme Disease

Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that ticks transmit to people and animals. Lyme disease has been reported throughout the United States, although the majority of cases have been reported in the northeast, the north central states and along the west coast. Lyme disease is now the most commonly reported vector-borne illness in the United States.

Things to know:

• Lyme disease is spread by black-legged ticks (deer ticks), which are smaller than dog ticks.
• The signs and symptoms of Lyme disease can take weeks, months or years to develop.
• Often within one to two weeks, infected persons will have a rash shaped like a bulls-eye, muscle or joint pain, or flu-like symptoms.
• People with Lyme disease have reported signs and symptoms that are often similar to other diseases.
• If you suspect you may have Lyme disease, consider talking to your doctor.
• Preventing bites from ticks is the best way to avoid getting Lyme disease. If you are going to be in areas where ticks are present, consider using a tick repellent.

Additional Resources on Lyme disease:

• Learn About Lyme Disease (Borrelia burgdorferi Infection) - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Lyme Disease Transmission - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Lone Star Tick a Concern, but Not for Lyme Disease - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Lyme Disease Symptoms - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Lyme Disease - National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
• Lyme Disease and Animals - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• How Can We Prevent Lyme Disease? - Hayes and Piesman 2003, New England Journal of Medicine
• Lyme Disease: A Public Information Guide - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Prevention of Lyme Disease - American Academy of Pediatrics
• Travelers' Health Information on Lyme Disease - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Teratogen Update: Lyme Disease - Elliot et al. 2001, Teratology 64:276-281
• Workplace Safety for Lyme Disease - National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Surveillance for Lyme Disease - United States, 1992-2006 - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Lyme Disease Statistics - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Lyme Disease in California - University of California Statewide IPM Program

See the NPIC Collection of matertial on Managing Ticks and Preventing Tick Bites

If you have questions about this, or any pesticide-related topic, please call NPIC at 1-800-858-7378 (7:30am-3:30pm PST), or email at npic@ace.orst.edu.