What should you do if a tick tests positive for Borrelia? - briefly
Seek immediate medical advice for prophylactic antibiotics—usually a short course of doxycycline—and watch for early Lyme disease symptoms. Notify local public‑health officials of the positive result to support surveillance efforts.
What should you do if a tick tests positive for Borrelia? - in detail
A tick that has been identified as carrying Borrelia burgdorferi requires prompt medical attention. The first step is to retain the specimen, noting the date of removal, attachment duration, and geographic location, and to inform a healthcare provider of these details.
The clinician will assess whether prophylactic antibiotic therapy is indicated. Current guidelines recommend a single 200 mg dose of doxycycline within 72 hours of the bite when all of the following conditions are met:
- The tick was attached for at least 36 hours.
- The tick was removed in an area where Lyme disease is endemic.
- The patient is an adult or a child weighing at least 15 kg.
- No contraindication to doxycycline exists (e.g., allergy, pregnancy).
If any criterion is not satisfied, the provider may choose observation rather than immediate treatment. Observation includes:
- Baseline serologic testing for Borrelia antibodies.
- Education on early signs of infection (erythema migrans, fever, headache, fatigue, arthralgia).
- A scheduled follow‑up visit within 2–4 weeks to repeat serology if symptoms develop.
Should early manifestations appear, a full treatment course is initiated, typically doxycycline 100 mg twice daily for 10–21 days, or an alternative agent (amoxicillin or cefuroxime) for patients unable to receive doxycycline.
Documentation of the incident should be submitted to local public‑health authorities to aid surveillance. For future exposure, preventive measures include:
- Wearing long sleeves and pants in tick‑infested habitats.
- Applying EPA‑registered repellents containing DEET or picaridin.
- Performing thorough body checks after outdoor activities and promptly removing attached ticks with fine‑tipped tweezers.
These actions collectively reduce the risk of progression to Lyme disease and support effective public‑health response.