Ticks can transmit which of the following diseases?

• A. Malaria
• B. Rocky Mountain spotted fever
• C. Lyme disease
• D. West Nile virus

Answer: (C)

Ticks act as vectors for several diseases, making them an important focus for prevention in pest control. The disease Lyme disease is a classic example of a pathogen transmitted by ticks. It’s caused by Borrelia burgdorferi and is carried by certain tick species that feed on humans. Transmission typically requires the tick to be attached for a day or two, as the bacteria move from the tick into the person during feeding. Because of that, longer exposure to ticks increases the chance of infection. In practice, this is why tick checks, prompt removal, and habitat modification to reduce tick populations are key preventive steps.

Other items in the list are not transmitted by ticks: malaria and West Nile virus are spread by mosquitoes, not ticks. It’s also true that Rocky Mountain spotted fever is another disease transmitted by ticks, so ticks can carry more than one pathogen, but Lyme disease is the commonly invoked tick-borne illness in many exam contexts, which is why it’s highlighted as the best-known example here.