Lyme disease risk to wildlife rehabilitators walking through grass is primarily due to what?

• A. Tick must be adhered for 24 hours to pass the bacteria.
• B. Immediate transmission upon contact.
• C. Transmission via airborne particles.
• D. Transmission via contaminated water.

Answer: (A)

Lyme disease comes from ticks that bite wildlife and people. The bacteria live in the tick’s gut and only move into the tick’s saliva during a blood meal, so transmission relies on the tick being attached and feeding for a period—roughly a day or more. When you walk through grass, you’re exposed to ticks that are waiting to latch on (questing) from the blades; once attached, they bite and feed, and the bacteria can be transmitted as feeding occurs. Because transmission isn’t immediate, contact with a tick does not instantly cause Lyme disease. Airborne spread or transmission through contaminated water aren’t routes for Lyme in this scenario. The practical implication is to prevent long attachment by checking for ticks and removing them promptly, and by wearing protective clothing to reduce the chance of a tick attaching in the first place.