one more thing ... according to the American College of Physicians, it takes more than 24 hours for the tick to transmit the bacteria so if you remove the tick properly during that timeframe, your chances of infection are extremely low. Also, taking a shower after being in the woods will help because the tick may not have attached itself yet. 

Don't just check yourself, check your pets too! Dog ticks are not carriers, but your doggies  may have picked up a deer tick while running around in the woods. Lyme can infect dogs. Or the tick may migrate from the dog to you. 

More info at 
  http://www.acponline.org/lyme/patient/prevention.htm


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Shireen Gonzaga/Baltimore, MD