Tick bite Information | Mount Sinai - New York

Ticks are bugs that can attach to you as you brush past bushes, plants, and grass. Once on you, ticks often move to a warm, moist place on your body, ... Share Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Home HealthLibrary Tickbite Share Ticksarebugsthatcanattachtoyouasyoubrushpastbushes,plants,andgrass.Onceonyou,ticksoftenmovetoawarm,moistplaceonyourbody,likethearmpits,groin,andhair.There,theytypicallyattachfirmlytoyourskinandbegintodrawblood.Avoidingticksisimportantbecausetheycaninfectyouwithbacteriaandotherorganismsthatcauseillness.Tickscanbefairlylarge,aboutthesizeofapencileraser,orsosmallthattheyarealmostimpossibletosee.Thereareabout850differenttypesofticks.Mosttickbitesareharmless,butsomecancausemildtoserioushealthconditions.Thisarticledescribestheeffectsofatickbite.Thisarticleisforinformationonly.DONOTuseittotreatormanageatickbite.Ifyouorsomeoneyouarewithisbittenbyatick,callyourlocalemergencynumber(suchas911),oryourlocalpoisoncentercanbereacheddirectlybycallingthenationaltoll-freePoisonHelphotline(1-800-222-1222)fromanywhereintheUnitedStates. ErythemamigransistheinitiallesionofLymedisease,andoftenappearsatthesiteoftheinfectingtickbite.Itisared,enlargingrash,flatorslightlyraised,andmayreachfrom4to20inches(12to35cm)across(theaveragerashis6inches,or17cm).(ImagecourtesyoftheCentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention.) BorreliaburgdorferiisaspirochetebacteriathatcausesLymedisease.Itissimilarinshapetothespirochetesthatcauseotherdiseases,suchasrelapsingfeverandsyphilis.(ImagecourtesyoftheCentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention.) Diseasesareoftencarriedbyticks,includingRockyMountainSpottedFever,ColoradoTickFever,Lymedisease,andtularemia.Lesscommonorlessfrequentdiseasesincludetyphus,Q-fever,relapsingfever,viralencephalitis,hemorrhagicfever,andbabesiosis. Therearemanyspeciesofticks.Ofthese,alargeproportionarecapableofcarryingdisease.DiseasescarriedbyticksincludeLymedisease,Erlichiosis,RockyMountainSpottedFever,ColoradoTickFever,tularemia,typhus,hemorrhagicfever,andviralencephalitis.(ImagecourtesyoftheCentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention.) Thisisanengorgeddeertick(Ixodesdammini)embeddedintheskinofahumanhost.IntheUnitedStates,theseticksaretheprimarysourceofLymedisease.(ImagecourtesyoftheCentersforDiseaseControlandPreventionandM.Fergione.) LymediseaseiscausedbyabacteriumcalledBorreliaburgdorferi.Itisknownasaspirochetebecauseofitslong,corkscrewshape.Thisphotographshowsthetypicalcorkscrewappearanceofaspirochete.(ImagecourtesyoftheCentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention.) Thisisanadultfemaledeertick,Ixodesdammini.IttransmitsLymediseaseandbabesiosistohumans.(ImagecourtesyoftheCentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention.) Ticksaresmall,insect-likecreaturesthatliveinwoodsandfields.Theycanattachtopeopleoranimalsastheybrushpastbushes,plants,andgrass.Tickscanbefairlylarge,asbigasapencileraser,orsosmallthattheyarealmostimpossibletosee.Whilemostticksdonotcarrydiseases,sometickscancauseLymedisease,RockyMountainspottedfever,Coloradotickfever,andtularemia. Thisisaclose-upphotographofatickembeddedintheskin.TicksareimportantbecausetheycancarrydiseasessuchasRockyMountainspottedfever,tularemia,Coloradotickfever,Lymedisease,andothers. PoisonousIngredient Hard-andsoft-bodiedfemaleticksarebelievedtomakeapoisonthatcancausetickparalysisinchildren.Mostticksdonotcarrydiseases,butsomecarrybacteriaorotherorganismsthatcancause:ColoradotickfeverLymediseaseRockyMountainspottedfeverTularemiaTheseandotherillnessesmaycauseheart,nervoussystem,kidney,adrenalgland,andliverdamage,andmaycausedeath. WhereFound Ticksliveinwoodedareasorgrassyfields. Symptoms Watchforsymptomsoftick-bornediseasesintheweeksafteratickbite.Theseincludemuscleorjointaches,stiffneck,headache,weakness,fever,swollenlymphnodes,andotherflu-likesymptoms.Watchforaredspotorrashstartingatthesiteofthebite.Thesymptomsbelowarefromthebiteitself,notfromthediseasesabitemaycause.Someofthesymptomsarecausedbyonevarietyoftickoranother,butmaynotbecommontoallticks.StoppedbreathingDifficultybreathingBlistersRashSeverepainatsite,lastingseveralweeks(fromsomekindsofticks)Swellingatsite(fromsomekindsofticks)WeaknessUncoordinatedmovement HomeCare Removethetick.Becarefulnottoleavethetick'sheadstuckintheskin.Ifpossible,placethetickinaclosedcontainerandtakeittotheemergencyroom.Thencleantheareawithsoapandwater. BeforeCallingEmergency Havethisinformationready:Person'sage,weight,andconditionTimethetickbiteoccurredPartofthebodyaffected PoisonControl Yourlocalpoisoncentercanbereacheddirectlybycallingthenationaltoll-freePoisonHelphotline(1-800-222-1222)fromanywhereintheUnitedStates.Theywillgiveyoufurtherinstructions.Thisisafreeandconfidentialservice.AlllocalpoisoncontrolcentersintheUnitedStatesusethisnationalnumber.Youshouldcallifyouhaveanyquestionsaboutpoisoningorpoisonprevention.ItdoesNOTneedtobeanemergency.Youcancallforanyreason,24hoursaday,7daysaweek. WhattoExpectattheEmergencyRoom Thesymptomswillbetreated.Long-termtreatmentmaybeneededifcomplicationsdevelop.PreventiveantibioticsareoftengiventopeoplewholiveinareaswhereLymediseaseiscommon.Thepersonmayreceive:BloodandurinetestsBreathingsupport,includingoxygen,atubedownthethroatandabreathingmachine(ventilator)inseriouscasesChestx-rayECG(electrocardiogram,orhearttracing)Intravenousfluids(throughavein)Medicinestotreatsymptoms Outlook(Prognosis) Mosttickbitesareharmless.Theoutcomewilldependonwhattypeofinfectionthetickmayhavebeencarryingandhowsoonappropriatetreatmentwasstarted.Ifyouarebittenbyatickthatcarriedadiseaseandyouwerenottreatedcorrectly,long-termhealtheffectsmayoccurmonthsorevenyearslater.Personalprotectionagainstbitesmaybeachievedbyavoidingareaswhereticksareknowntobepresentandapplyinginsectrepellents.Toprotectyourselfagainstticks,trytostayawayfromareaswhereticksareknowntolive.Ifyouareinanareathathaborsticks,applyinsectrepellanttoyourbodyandwearprotectiveclothing.Examineyourskinforsignsoftickbitesorticksafteryourtravels. References BryantK.Tickborneinfections.In:LongSS,ProberCG,FischerM,eds.PrinciplesandPracticeofPediatricInfectiousDiseases.5thed.Philadelphia,PA:Elsevier;2018:chap90.CumminsGA,TraubSJ.Tick-bornediseases.In:AuerbachPS,CushingTA,HarrisNS,eds.Auerbach'sWildernessMedicine.7thed.Philadelphia,PA:Elsevier;2017:chap42.JamesWD,ElstonDM,TreatJR,RosenbachMA,NeuhausIM.Parasiticinfestations,stings,andbites.In:JamesWD,ElstonDM,TreatJR,RosenbachMA,NeuhausIM,eds.Andrews'DiseasesoftheSkin:ClinicalDermatology.13thed.Philadelphia,PA:Elsevier;2020:chap20.OttenEJ.Venomousanimalinjuries.In:WallsRM,HockbergerRS,Gausche-HillM,eds.Rosen'sEmergencyMedicine:ConceptsandClinicalPractice.9thed.Philadelphia,PA:Elsevier;2018:chap55. VersionInfo Lastreviewedon:6/30/2019 Reviewedby:JacobL.Heller,MD,MHA,EmergencyMedicine,Emeritus,VirginiaMasonMedicalCenter,Seattle,WA.AlsoreviewedbyDavidZieve,MD,MHA,MedicalDirector,BrendaConaway,EditorialDirector,andtheA.D.A.M.Editorialteam. 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