What should be done if a tick is infected with Borrelia? - briefly
Remove the tick promptly with fine‑point tweezers, grasping it as close to the skin as possible, then disinfect the bite site and consult a healthcare professional about prophylactic antibiotic treatment.
What should be done if a tick is infected with Borrelia? - in detail
If a tick is found to be carrying the bacterium that causes Lyme disease, immediate removal is the first step. Grasp the mouthparts with fine tweezers as close to the skin as possible, pull upward with steady pressure, and disinfect the bite site with an antiseptic. Do not crush the tick’s body, as this can release additional pathogens.
After removal, preserve the specimen for laboratory analysis. Place the tick in a sealed container with a damp cotton swab, label with date and location, and send to a certified lab that performs polymerase chain reaction testing for Borrelia DNA. Results usually become available within 48–72 hours.
If the test confirms infection, the following actions are recommended:
- Medical assessment – schedule an urgent appointment with a healthcare provider experienced in tick‑borne illnesses.
- Prophylactic antibiotics – a single dose of doxycycline (200 mg) is advised for bites occurring within 72 hours, provided the tick was attached for ≥ 36 hours and the local infection rate exceeds 20 %.
- Full treatment course – if symptoms develop (erythema migrans, fever, headache, fatigue, joint pain) or if prophylaxis is contraindicated, prescribe a 10‑ to 21‑day doxycycline regimen (100 mg twice daily) or an alternative such as amoxicillin or cefuroxime.
- Symptom monitoring – track the appearance of rash, flu‑like signs, or neurological changes for at least six weeks. Document temperature, joint swelling, and any neurological deficits.
- Follow‑up testing – conduct serologic testing (ELISA, Western blot) after 4–6 weeks to confirm seroconversion or treatment efficacy.
Patients with known allergies to doxycycline should receive amoxicillin (500 mg three times daily) or cefuroxime (250 mg twice daily). Pregnant or lactating individuals require amoxicillin as the preferred option.
Prevention of future exposure includes wearing long sleeves and pants in endemic areas, applying EPA‑registered repellents containing DEET or picaridin, and performing daily tick checks after outdoor activities. Removing vegetation and using acaricides in residential yards further reduces the risk of encountering infected ticks.