Can Lyme Disease be Contagious from Mosquitoes? Expert Tips from Lyme Support Network

July 3, 2025

Table of Content

When it comes to vector-borne diseases, Lyme disease is perhaps one of the most misunderstood diseases. With increased fear of the spread of this disease, a common question is often asked: Can you contract Lyme disease from mosquitoes? The perception that mosquitoes cause Lyme disease has been all over social media as well as among worried families. But how much of it is fact, and how much is fiction?

At the Lyme Support Network, our purpose is to offer trusted, evidence-based information and support to those impacted by Lyme disease. Let’s cut through what the most recent research reveals about Lyme disease, and why it’s so important to know the difference between myth and reality when it comes to prevention and early intervention.

Understanding Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is an infection caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi. It is found most often through the bite of infected black-legged ticks or deer ticks. The ticks become infected by feeding on contaminated animals, e.g., mice or deer, and transfer it to humans through a bite.

Some symptoms of Lyme disease include:

A characteristic bullseye rash

Fatigue

Joint pain

Fever

Muscle pain

Neurological complications in later stages

The sooner Lyme disease is detected and treated, the greater the success. But misunderstanding transmission sources typically postpone appropriate care.

Do Mosquitoes Transmit Lyme Disease?

No short answer here—mosquitoes don’t transmit Lyme disease.

Perhaps this error arises because mosquitoes are otherwise recognized to transmit serious illnesses like malaria, dengue, West Nile virus, and Zika. But Lyme disease is inherently different in its method of transmission.

Here’s what scientific research has to say:

Mosquitoes don’t have Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria in their salivary glands, needed for bite transmission.

Ticks, particularly Ixodes scapularis, are the U.S. vector of choice for Lyme disease. Their 36-hour-plus slow feeding process is responsible for allowing the bacteria to transfer from tick to human host.

Mosquitoes take a quick feed, typically in under a minute, and are not attached long enough for this kind of bacterial transmission to take place.

The Lyme Support Network relies on correct information when it comes to public health, and fact from fear is what is critical to the battle against Lyme.

Why the Confusion?

There are a number of reasons why the myth that mosquitoes transmit Lyme disease has persisted:

Visual association in bite response: Mosquito and tick bites can both produce skin irritation and swelling, and it is therefore hard to distinguish them.

An increase in mosquito-borne illnesses: Educational campaigns regarding the dangers posed by mosquitoes can confuse the various vector-borne diseases.

Disinformation on social media: Given how most health-related information is disseminated, unsubstantiated reports have a tendency to circulate rapidly on social media.

At Lyme Support Network, we are convinced that educated communities are empowered communities. Familiarity with the biology of how Lyme disease is transmitted can enable families to take effective preventive action without succumbing to disinformation.

Actual Methods for Protecting Yourself from Lyme Disease

As mosquitoes do not transmit Lyme disease, your best defense is to concentrate on tick prevention. These are some expert-approved tips:

Dress Smart

When taking walks in wooded or grassy spaces, wear long sleeves and pants, and tuck pants into socks to keep ticks from attaching to your skin.

Use Tick Repellent

Select a repellent with DEET, picaridin, or natural oil of lemon eucalyptus for effective and safe tick prevention.

Perform Tick Checks

Upon returning from outdoor activities, carefully inspect yourself, your kids, and pets for ticks. Also, focus on crevices such as the scalp, behind the ears, armpits, and groin.

Shower Soon

Showering within a couple of hours of outdoor activity can remove any detached ticks and lower your risk of infection.

Treat Your Pets

Treat dogs and cats with veterinarian-approved tick repellents, as they have the potential to introduce ticks into your home.

When to Get Medical Care

If you or someone in your life gets a bullseye rash, unexplained tiredness, or joint pain after spending time outdoors—particularly in tick-infested regions—see a doctor right away.

Early diagnosis and antibiotic treatment are often successful, but if delayed, may result in chronic symptoms and complications. The Lyme Support Network suggests noting any possible tick bites, monitoring symptoms, and finding a Lyme-literate medical provider if symptoms do not go away.

Final Thoughts from Lyme Support Network

Although it might be tempting to be concerned that mosquitoes transmit Lyme disease, there is no scientific evidence to support this assertion. Educating yourself, being attentive, and taking action is the most effective means of defending your family and yourself.

The Lyme Support Network exists to assist in educating the public, offer resources to those undergoing Lyme disease, and provide support from community to the process of healing. We invite you to share this article in an effort to counteract myths and give power to others through knowledge.

Treat dogs and cats with veterinarian-approved tick repellents, as they have the potential to introduce ticks into your home.

When to Get Medical Care

If you or someone in your life gets a bullseye rash, unexplained tiredness, or joint pain after spending time outdoors—particularly in tick-infested regions—see a doctor right away.

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