It looks like Santa’s elves might need to start checking each other for ticks. Leyner and I were unable to find a case report of an elf afflicted with Lyme disease, but we offer the following scientific analysis and deductive reasoning- Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted by the bite of infected ticks. In the northeast of the United States, lxodes dammini (the deer tick) is the chief carrier of the disease. Thus, we implicate deer in the spread of the ailment.
Now for the reindeer connection. Reindeer (Rangifier tarandus)-otherwise known as caribou-are medium-sized members of the deer family. Reindeer are found in many regions of the world, including Sweden. Guess what else is commonly found in Sweden? Buxom blond women eating pickled herring? Yes, that’s correct, but that has absolutely nothing to do with deer ticks. Guess again… Time’s up! You are correct, sir! Lyme disease. We also know that moose and roe deer, among other large mammals in Sweden, are vectors for Lyme disease. So it makes perfect sense that Dasher, Blitzen, and Rudolph might also be complicit.
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"Can you get Lyme disease from a reindeer?" was posted on Friday, May 9th, 2008 at 11:06 pm.