MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Ticks

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Ticks

Contents of this page:
Illustrations Definition Poisonous Ingredient Where Found Symptoms	Home Care Before Calling Emergency Poison Control What to Expect at the Emergency Room Outlook (Prognosis)

Illustrations

Lyme disease, erythema chronicum migrans

Lyme disease organism, Borrelia burgdorferi

Deer ticks

Ticks

Tick, deer engorged on the skin

Lyme disease - Borrelia burgdorferi organism

Tick, deer - adult female

Deer and dog tick

Tick imbedded in the skin

Definition Return to top

This article describes the effects of a tick bite.

Poisonous Ingredient Return to top

tick venom

Where Found Return to top

ticks
related species

Symptoms Return to top

Ticks can be the source of several diseases including:

The symptoms below refer more to the problems resulting from the bite itself, not the diseases it may cause. Some of the symptoms are specific to one variety of tick or another but not necessarily common to all ticks.

body as a whole
- weakness
- incoordination
- paralysis
- severe pain at bite site (some varieties), lasting for several weeks
- swelling at bite site (some varieties)
respiratory
- difficulty breathing
- apnea (breathing stopped)

Home Care Return to top

Remove the tick (see tick bite). Be careful not to leave the head embedded in the skin.

Before Calling Emergency Return to top

Determine the following information:

the patient's age, weight, and condition
the name of the insect
the time the bite occurred
the part of the body affected

Poison Control Return to top

They will instruct you if it is necessary to take the patient to the hospital. See Poison Control centers for telephone numbers and addresses.

If possible, bring the insect to the emergency room for identification.

What to Expect at the Emergency Room Return to top

The symptoms will be treated.

Outlook (Prognosis) Return to top

Most tick bites are harmless. The outcome will depend on what type of infection the tick may have been carrying and how soon appropriate treatment was begun.

Update Date: 2/13/2006

Updated by: Eric Perez, M.D., Department of Emergency Medicine, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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