Lyme disease is not contagious from person to person
You cannot catch Lyme disease from someone who has it. The infection spreads only through the bite of an infected tick, not through contact with a person's blood, saliva, skin, or any other bodily fluid. Even if someone with Lyme disease coughs on you, shares a drink with you, or you touch an open wound, you will not develop the infection from that contact.
The bacterium that causes Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, lives in certain tick species and spreads when an infected tick feeds on your blood. Once the bacteria enter your body, they do not pass back into the tick or into another person through normal contact. This is why Lyme disease is fundamentally different from contagious illnesses like the flu or COVID-19.
Key Takeaways
- Lyme disease spreads only through infected tick bites, not through person-to-person contact of any kind.
- The bacteria cannot spread through saliva, blood, coughing, sharing food, or touching someone's skin.
- Pregnant people with Lyme disease can pass the infection to a fetus, though this is rare and the risk depends on the stage of pregnancy.
- You do not need to isolate from family members or avoid physical contact if you have Lyme disease.
- The only way to reduce your risk of Lyme disease is to prevent tick bites through clothing, repellent, and checking your skin after time outdoors.
How Lyme disease actually spreads
Lyme disease spreads through the bite of a tick infected with Borrelia burgdorferi. In North America, the primary vector is the blacklegged tick, also called the deer tick. The tick must be attached to your skin and feeding for a period of time—usually at least 24 to 48 hours—before the bacteria transfer into your bloodstream. A tick that has been on your skin for only a few hours is unlikely to transmit the infection.
The bacteria live in the tick's gut and salivary glands. When the tick feeds, it injects saliva into your skin, and the bacteria travel along with it. Once inside your body, the bacteria spread through your bloodstream and can settle in joints, the nervous system, the heart, and other tissues. At no point in this process do the bacteria leave your body and enter another person through casual contact.
Pregnancy and vertical transmission
The one exception to the rule that Lyme disease does not spread person-to-person is vertical transmission—infection passing from a pregnant person to a fetus. If a pregnant person has untreated Lyme disease, the bacteria can cross the placenta and infect the developing baby. This risk is real but not inevitable; not all untreated pregnancies result in fetal infection.
The risk appears highest during the second and third trimesters. Fetal infection can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, or birth defects, though documented cases are uncommon. If you are pregnant and have Lyme disease or think you may have been exposed to an infected tick, inform your doctor so they can monitor you and treat the infection if needed. Antibiotic treatment during pregnancy can reduce the risk of transmission to the fetus.
Why Lyme disease cannot spread through daily contact
The bacteria that cause Lyme disease cannot survive in human saliva, stomach acid, or on intact skin. They are adapted to live inside ticks and inside human tissue—not in the environment outside the body or in the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat. This is why you cannot catch Lyme disease by kissing someone, sharing utensils, or being in the same room.
Even if you have an open cut and touch the open wound of someone with Lyme disease, transmission will not occur. The bacteria do not migrate from one person's bloodstream to another through direct contact. This fundamental difference in how the infection spreads is why public health guidance does not recommend isolation or special precautions when caring for someone with Lyme disease.
What you should do if someone close to you has Lyme disease
If a family member, partner, or friend has Lyme disease, you do not need to change your behavior around them. You can hug them, share meals, sleep in the same bed, and care for them without any risk of catching the infection. The only precaution that matters is preventing your own tick bites.
If you are caring for someone with Lyme disease who has a rash or skin symptoms, you do not need gloves or special protection. Standard hygiene—washing your hands after using the bathroom and before eating—is sufficient. The focus should be on supporting the person's treatment and recovery, not on preventing transmission.
Reducing your own risk of Lyme disease
Since Lyme disease spreads only through tick bites, prevention focuses on avoiding ticks. Wear long pants and long sleeves when spending time in wooded or grassy areas where ticks live. Tuck your pants into your socks or boots to prevent ticks from crawling up your legs. Use an insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, or permethrin on exposed skin and clothing.
After spending time outdoors, check your entire body for ticks, paying special attention to warm, moist areas like the groin, armpits, and behind the knees. If you find a tick, remove it promptly by grasping it with tweezers as close to the skin as possible and pulling straight out. The sooner you remove a tick, the lower your risk of infection. Showering within two hours of coming indoors may help wash off unattached ticks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get Lyme disease from someone's blood if I have a cut on my hand?
No. The bacteria that cause Lyme disease do not survive in blood outside the body and cannot enter through a cut. Lyme disease spreads only through infected tick bites, not through blood-to-blood contact.
What if I'm pregnant and my partner has Lyme disease?
Your partner's Lyme disease does not pose a risk to your pregnancy. Vertical transmission occurs only when the pregnant person themselves has untreated Lyme disease. If you are concerned about your own tick exposure, discuss it with your doctor.
Do I need to keep my distance from someone with Lyme disease?
No. Lyme disease is not contagious through any form of person-to-person contact. You can spend time together, share food, and have physical contact without any risk of infection.
Can Lyme disease spread through saliva or kissing?
No. The bacteria cannot survive in saliva or the mouth. Kissing someone with Lyme disease carries no risk of transmission.
If someone has Lyme disease, are they more likely to have ticks on them?
Not necessarily. Once someone has Lyme disease, the infection is in their body, not on their skin. A person with Lyme disease is no more likely to be carrying ticks than anyone else, so there is no increased risk from being near them.