Taking the ticks off within 18 hours generally protects against infection with Lyme disease. There's also a vaccine, and proper clothing prevents the ticks fro

Taking the ticks off within 18 hours generally protects against infection with Lyme disease. There's also a vaccine, and proper clothing prevents the ticks from biting as well. The trouble is the black-legged ticks (I. scapularis) can be very small, especially the males.