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Post-Exposure Procedures: Borrelia burgdorferi

Characteristics: Spirochete, tick-borne, carried by wild animals throughout North America, results in Lyme Disease

Incubation Period: 3-32 days after bite

Symptoms: Characterized by a red rash and sometimes has a distinctive skin lesion in the form of a bull's eye. Systemic symptoms including polyarthritis, neurologic and cardiac involvement, malaise, fatigue, fever, headache, stiff neck, chronic arthritis may develop What is a potential exposure? A tick bite, needlestick, or other puncture/cut (such as from a scalpel)

Post-Exposure Treatment: Carefully remove tick intact with tweezers and bring tick to UM Health Center. If the exposure occurs after hours or on a weekend, wait until Monday morning to go to the Health Center. Antibiotic therapy is administered (Doxycycline for adults and Amoxicillin for children). If the physician is hesitant to prescribe antibiotics, your supervisor or the Biosafety Officer may be contacted to verify work with B. burgdorferi.

Prevention: BSL-2 containment, PPE (labcoat and gloves, minimum); consider using lab coats with cuffs or tucking sleeves into gloves. Disposable sleeves can also be used to cover the wrists. Keep inventory of ticks; hold ticks in secure containment; dispose of all trash at end of day; apply tape to areas around doors to cages, etc. to catch any escapees. No vaccine is available at this time.

Reporting: Make note of the date and time of the incident and any details, such as the type/status of tick you are working with. Inform your supervisor and a Biosafety Officer immediately. Fill out a First Report of Injury Form and also report incident to DES at (301) 405-3960. DES will need to report incident to NIH if tick was infected with recombinant organism.

    An unattached tick found on the body is not considered an exposure.

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