The lonestar tick does carry lyme. Just a couple of weeks ago
a researcher at a Florida University discovered that two strains
of Borellia that are not currently tested for were carried by the Lone Star tick. They've known since the 90's that the Lone Star carries lyme, this info is available on the web if you do a search. The Lone Star also causes "STARI", Southern Tick Associated Rash Illness, which causes the same bullseye rash as lyme, has the same symptoms, cannot be tested for, but they claim, isn't lyme - ya right.
I have lived in Georgia for a few years, there are lone star ticks everywhere, but little or no deer ticks. In the small wooded development where I live, about half the people have lyme disease, all of whome found a lone star tick attached and most had a bullseye rash.
They all have or have had typical and severe Lyme symptoms. My landscaper was bit by a lonestar tick and had a stroke which his Dr's attribute to lyme disease, which he tested positive for. There is a lot of dis or misinformation floating around about the lonestar tick, for whatever reason, and of course the same can be said about lyme disease in general, so it shouldn't be surprising.
The lonestar tick is much more aggressive than the deer tick, and will seek out it's prey, as well, the lonestar has in recent years been found
in areas north that had not previously been it's habitat. There was an article about a year ago which discussed how the lonestar has become common in Massachusetes and how alarming this was given it's aggressive behavior and it's ability to transmit lyme and other TBD.
I was reinfected by a lonestar tick, so have experienced first hand the effects of a lonestar bite. Lyme is rampant in the south and it isn't coming from deer ticks.
Post Edited (tonesg) : 7/23/2013 1:35:56 PM (GMT-6)