Which pest is known for spreading Lyme disease?

Ticks are recognized as the primary vectors for the transmission of Lyme disease. This disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, which is commonly carried by certain species of ticks, especially the deer tick, also known as the black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis) in the northeastern United States. When a tick feeds on the blood of an infected host, such as a deer or a mouse, it can acquire the bacteria and then transmit it to humans during subsequent feedings. The risk of Lyme disease increases in areas with high populations of these ticks, particularly in woodland and grassy areas where people may frequently encounter them.

In contrast, while other pests like fleas, bed bugs, and mosquitoes can transmit various diseases, they are not involved in the transmission of Lyme disease. Fleas are primarily associated with diseases like plague and typhus, bed bugs are mainly a nuisance causing allergic reactions without disease transmission, and mosquitoes are known to spread diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, and West Nile virus but not Lyme disease. Thus, ticks are uniquely identified as the pest responsible for the spread of Lyme disease.