How long must most ticks be attached to transmit Lyme disease?

Most ticks must generally be attached for about 36-48 hours to effectively transmit Lyme disease. This duration is critical because the bacterium responsible for Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, resides in the tick's gut and needs time to migrate into the saliva, which is then transmitted to the host during feeding. The 36-48 hour timeframe ensures that the tick has enough time to feed and pass the bacteria from its saliva into the bloodstream of the host, thereby increasing the risk of infection.

This length reflects observations from various studies that highlight the importance of prompt removal of ticks to reduce the likelihood of disease transmission. While ticks may be capable of transmitting Lyme disease in shorter durations under specific circumstances, the established consensus points to the 36-48 hour window as a critical period for transmission to occur consistently.