Tick-borne diseases
The most common disease is Lyme disease. How long it takes for a tick to make you sick depends on the pathogen. Usually, more than 12 hours pass. Therefore, we advise you to always check in the evening after being in nature and to remove the tick.
Lyme disease or Lyme borreliosis is an infectious condition that you can contract after being bitten by an infected tick. Fortunately, not all ticks are infected; only 10% of ticks contain a pathogenic germ (Borrelia).
You can be bitten while walking, playing, or working in damp, wooded areas and in places with low vegetation such as shrubs, ferns, and tall grasses.
What symptoms do you get with Lyme disease?
- a red ring-shaped spot appears around the place where the tick bit you
- sometimes flu-like symptoms such as fever in combination with muscle and/or joint pain
Without treatment, you can experience symptoms months to years later, usually affecting your nerves or joints.
How do you remove a tick? Clear instructions can be viewed at Remove tick safely | Tick bites
How can I protect myself?
- Check for a tick bite!! - How can I protect myself against ticks and tick-borne diseases? (tekenbeten.be)
- There is no vaccine against Lyme disease.
