Question

Can you determine the relationship between the risk of contracting Lyme disease and the concentration of ticks that act as vectors for the disease?

Answer 1

Answer: Since the vector transmitting the disease is the tick, the higher the density of ticks, the higher the rate of transmission of the disease.

Explanation:

Lyme disease is an infection caused by a spirochete-like bacterium of the Borrelia species and is transmitted by a vector, which is a living being (almost always an arthropod) capable of transmitting a disease to vertebrate hosts, including humans.

In this case, the disease is transmitted to humans through the bites of deer ticks that are infected with this bacterium. The ticks live in forests or grassland areas, woodlands and swamps near rivers, lakes or seas. Infections generally occur from late spring to early fall because infected deer ticks live in regions that have extreme temperatures (very low and very high) and high levels of humidity.  

The first and most obvious symptom of Lyme disease is a localized rash that begins as a pink or red circle that expands over time and may appear 3 to 30 days after the bite. Although the disease can also affect the skin, nervous system, joints, muscles and heart.

Therefore, since the vector transmitting the disease is the tick (without ticks there is no transmission), the higher the density of ticks, the higher the rate of transmission of the disease.