Prevention is worth a lot here. I've been aware of Lyme for 30 years now probably? (I have lived most of my life not that far from Lyme, CT where it was firs

Prevention is worth a lot here. I've been aware of Lyme for 30 years now probably? (I have lived most of my life not that far from Lyme, CT where it was first noticed.) Because I've been aware of it so long it would get brought up to the doctor immediately if something happened. It would also be very unlikely I would get bit and not notice. Taking the usual recommended precautions and checking yourself carefully goes a really long way. Be careful around tall grass. Don't hang around in areas that make it easy for a tick to get on you. Wear clothes that reduce risk. I've been a very active hiker/mountain biker for many years now. I've pulled a few ticks (<10) off me but I have always found them before they bit me. Biggest factor I've noticed in the people I know who have gotten Lyme is dog ownership. I would be really interested if someone did a study. It seems Dogs in the house raise the risk significantly. Dogs on a walk behave in the most risky way possible hanging out in tall grass and going everywhere (they're dogs, can't blame them) and they have a nice furry coat that is easy to grab onto for the ticks. Then you need to check the dog and remove the ticks, bringing yourself into contact with the ticks. Or you miss them and now the ticks are crawling around in your house. Dog owners also seem to wear more casual clothes going for a walk with the dog. The dog drags them into areas they might not have gone on their own. The casual clothes provide more surface to grab onto vs dedicated clothes an outdoor enthusiast is wearing. (Most feel compelled to wear appropriate clothes and at that point you can adjust for tick prevention) Unfortunately I've known multiple dog owners who have gotten Lyme multiple times. Check kids really carefully, they're too young to know any better.