How do ticks feed on humans? - briefly
Ticks attach to the skin, insert a barbed hypostome that anchors them, and then secrete saliva containing anticoagulants while drawing blood through a canal in their mouthparts. This process can last from several hours to days, depending on the tick’s life stage.
How do ticks feed on humans? - in detail
Ticks attach to a host by climbing onto vegetation and waiting for a suitable contact. When a person brushes past, the tick detects heat, carbon‑dioxide and movement, then climbs onto the skin. The front legs grasp the surface, and the chelicerae cut through the epidermis. The hypostome, a barbed feeding tube, is driven into the dermis, anchoring the parasite.
During the initial phase, the tick injects saliva containing anticoagulants, vasodilators and immunosuppressive proteins. These substances prevent blood clotting, keep vessels dilated and reduce the host’s inflammatory response, allowing a steady flow of blood to the feeding site.
Feeding proceeds through distinct stages:
- Attachment and probing – insertion of the hypostome and establishment of a secure connection.
- Rapid acquisition – blood is drawn into the tick’s foregut while saliva continues to modulate host defenses.
- Engorgement – the abdomen expands up to 100 times its original volume; the tick remains attached for several days, depending on species and life stage.
- Detachment – after reaching full engorgement, the tick releases its grip and falls off.
The entire process can last from 24 hours (larval stage) to 7–10 days (adult stage). Pathogen transmission typically requires at least 24 hours of attachment, because the tick must first introduce the infectious agents from its salivary glands into the host’s bloodstream.
Proper removal involves grasping the tick as close to the skin as possible with fine tweezers, pulling upward with steady pressure, and disinfecting the bite area afterward. Cutting or crushing the body increases the risk of saliva leakage and should be avoided.