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I walked for about half an hour through a narrow trail in the woods in shorts and a short-sleeved shirt yesterday. I am now worried about the possibility of being bit by a tick and contracting Lyme disease. I did not feel any bite or see any tick on my body nor the characteristic erythema migrans rash. But it is only one day after the walk.

What are the chances I could be infected with Lyme disease?

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  • Is there a circle of inflammation where you pulled the tick off ?
    – blacksmith37
    Commented Jul 11, 2021 at 19:27
  • @blacksmith37: Actually like I said in my question, I have not found any tick on my body yet, nor felt a rash appearing like the pictures I linked to except an itchy bump just like a mosquito bite.
    – Hans
    Commented Jul 11, 2021 at 21:58
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    Your question as originally worded was too close to personal medical advice, which would make it off topic here, so I've reworded it to make it more neutral.
    – Carey Gregory ♦
    Commented Jul 11, 2021 at 22:23
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    To add some perspective.... I live in an area where ticks are common and Lyme disease is endemic. I do a lot of hiking with my dogs in areas such as you describe (daily), and over the years I've pulled dozens of ticks off myself, some of them attached. During the 30+ years I've been doing this, I have never contracted Lyme.
    – Carey Gregory ♦
    Commented Jul 11, 2021 at 22:43
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    We have a lot of deer in the area , so a lot of ticks . I pull off a few to several every year, no problem . Although the little ones ( 1 mm) require a close look.
    – blacksmith37
    Commented Jul 12, 2021 at 15:00

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The CDC says:

Your risk for Lyme disease is very low if a tick has been attached for fewer than 36 hours. Check for ticks daily and remove them as soon as possible.

You don't have evidence you were bitten by a tick, let alone having had one feed for over 36 hours. Without any known bite from a tick, without any signs or symptoms of a bite without noticing the tick, it does not seem the CDC would recommend you be concerned.

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