Lyme: Why One Man Volunteered To Have Ticks Bite Him

No one likes to get bug bites. Least of all bites from bugs that can transmit life-altering infectious diseases, like Lyme disease.

That’s why John Gordon’s friends thought he was crazy when he signed up to have dozens of ticks attach to him–for days at a time. Especially since Gordon had already suffered through a year of Lyme before he was diagnosed.

But this strange new procedure (yes, it is a real medical procedure–in which doctors see if humans can transmit Lyme back to ticks) might finally help scientists understand if Lyme disease can persist in people even after they have been treated for the disease.

Read more in my feature this month for Prevention. And May is Lyme awareness month, so pass it along! Pick up the May issue of the magazine for more tips on preventing the disease.