Is Lyme disease contagious?

Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis, has wild animals such as rodents, hedgehogs and red deer as its natural reservoir. A natural reservoir is defined as those animals which are a place of residence and reproduction for the pathogen without themselves usually showing the symptoms of Lyme disease. If ticks attack infected wild animals, the Borrelia bacteria can be transmitted, whereupon the tick itself acts as a carrier of the pathogen.

If a human being is attacked by such a tick, the outbreak of Lyme disease occurs in about 2% of cases. This means that in most cases the infection with Lyme disease occurs on a tick, mostly between 8 to 12 hours after the bite. Only in extremely rare cases mosquitoes and horseflies can also transmit the pathogens of Lyme disease In Europe, the common wood tick (Ixodes ricinus), a certain type of tick, is the main carrier, whereas in the USA the deer tick (Ixodes scapularis) and Ixodes pacificus are the main ones that cause the disease.

Infestation

The infestation of ticks with Borrelia burgdorferi varies according to the area, and consequently the frequency of infection varies according to the location. The frequency of infection increases the further south you look. For people living in Branden-burg, Sachen and Bavaria the risk of a tick-borne Lyme disease (Lyme borreliosis) is highest in Germany.

In contrast, the risk of contracting Lyme disease is extremely low for city dwellers, especially in the conurbations around the Rhine and Main rivers. This is mainly due to the ticks’ habitat, which is primarily located in fields, forests and meadows. are therefore exposed to a particularly high risk.

If you exceed an altitude limit of 1000 meters, an infection with Lyme disease is no longer possible, since ticks no longer occur at these altitudes. All in all a Lyme disease is not particularly contagious. – Forester

  • Forest Workers
  • Gardener
  • Hiking and also
  • Athletes

Is a person with Lyme disease contagious?

If a person has been infected with Lyme disease, he cannot pass it on to other people, i.e. a transmission from person to person is not possible. This means that the person is not contagious, even a sexual transmission is denied by the Robert Koch Institute. However, the study situation here is insufficient.

Therefore, in some literature this transmission path is also considered possible. A transfer from the pregnant woman to the fetus is also conceivable, in this case the pregnant woman is contagious for her unborn child. This can result in stillbirth or even damage to the unborn child.

Borrelia bacteria can theoretically also be found in blood products, which can then trigger Lyme disease in the recipient. However, this method of transmission is evaluated as hardly possible. A transmission from person to person practically does not take place.