Lyme disease is a tick-borne disease most often transmitted by the Ioxdes scapularis (otherwise known as the deer tick). The risk of a tick-borne disease is negligible if the tick has not been attached. The risk is less than 1% if the tick has attached but has not been engorged with blood (swollen) and feeding for less than 36 hours. If the tick is swollen with blood and attached for over 36 hours, then there is a 2% chance of transmission.
There are two trains of though pertaining to Lyme disease. Most physicians treat prophylactically with antibiotics (doxycycline), especially in high risk regions. Some physicians tend to observe the patient and treat if any signs or symptoms of infection develop.
Since you have bagged the tick, you should bring it to your physician for examination. If your physician elects to wait and observe, then you should check your skin daily for erythema migrans – salmon colored rash with central clearing that is characterisitic of Lyme disease. In addition, if you experience fevers, chills, facial droop, or other neurologic disorders, you should be evaluated immediately.
