Ticks can spread which of the following diseases?

Ticks are known vectors for several diseases, and Lyme disease is one of the most commonly associated with tick bites. It is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, which is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected black-legged ticks, commonly known as deer ticks. When a tick attaches to the skin and feeds on blood, it can transmit the bacteria into the bloodstream, leading to symptoms like fatigue, fever, headache, and a characteristic rash that resembles a "bull’s-eye."

The other diseases listed are not spread by ticks. Mad cow disease is a neurological disorder in cattle and does not spread through ticks. Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection primarily transmitted through respiratory droplets from infected individuals, not via ticks. West Nile virus is primarily spread by mosquitoes, not ticks. This reinforces the understanding that ticks are specific vectors for particular illnesses, with Lyme disease being a prominent example.