What should I do if a tick carries Borrelia? - briefly
Remove the tick with fine tweezers, disinfect the bite area, and consult a healthcare professional for possible antibiotic prophylaxis. Blood testing for Lyme disease may be advised within the subsequent weeks.
What should I do if a tick carries Borrelia? - in detail
A tick infected with Borrelia burgdorferi can transmit Lyme disease. Prompt removal of the attached arthropod reduces the risk of pathogen transmission, but further measures are required.
- Detach the tick with fine‑point tweezers, grasping as close to the skin as possible. Pull steadily without twisting. Disinfect the bite site with an antiseptic solution. Preserve the specimen in a sealed container for possible laboratory testing.
- Record the date of the bite, the estimated duration of attachment, and the geographic location. This information assists clinicians in assessing infection risk.
- Seek medical evaluation within 24 hours. A healthcare professional will review the exposure details, examine the skin for erythema migrans, and decide whether serologic testing is appropriate. Testing may include enzyme‑linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) followed by Western blot confirmation if initial results are positive.
- If the tick was attached for ≥ 36 hours, prophylactic antibiotic therapy is recommended. The standard regimen consists of a single dose of doxycycline 200 mg for adults and 4 mg/kg for children ≥ 8 years, unless contraindicated. Alternative agents include amoxicillin or cefuroxime axetil for patients unable to receive doxycycline.
- Initiate a full treatment course if clinical signs of Lyme disease appear or if laboratory results confirm infection. Typical therapy involves doxycycline 100 mg twice daily for 14–21 days; alternatives are amoxicillin 500 mg three times daily or cefuroxime axetil 500 mg twice daily, adjusted for age and renal function.
- Schedule follow‑up appointments to monitor symptom resolution and detect possible complications such as arthritis, neurologic involvement, or cardiac conduction abnormalities. Document any persistent or recurrent manifestations and adjust therapy accordingly.
«If the tick has been attached for 36 hours or more, prophylactic antibiotics are recommended» (CDC). Early intervention, appropriate antimicrobial selection, and diligent follow‑up constitute the most effective strategy to prevent and treat Borrelia‑related disease.