Lyme disease is transmitted through a bite from a specific type of tick. The animals that most often carry these insects are white-footed field mice, deer, raccoons, opossums, skunks, weasels, foxes, shrews, moles, chipmunks, squirrels and horses. The majority of these ticks have been found in New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

In the early stages of Lyme disease, you may experience flu-like symptoms that can include a stiff neck, chills, fever, swollen lymph nodes, headaches, fatigue, muscle aches and joint pain. You also may experience a large, expanding skin rash around the area of the tick bite. Joint and muscle pain are other early signs of Lyme disease. In more advanced disease, nerve problems and arthritis, especially in the knees may occur. Read more about symptoms, diagnosis, and treatments for Lyme disease.