How to treat tick bites in people? - briefly
Remove the attached tick using fine‑pointed tweezers, grasping it as close to the skin as possible and pulling upward with steady pressure. Clean the bite site with antiseptic, observe for rash or fever, and consult a healthcare professional for possible antibiotic treatment or Lyme‑disease prophylaxis.
How to treat tick bites in people? - in detail
Remove the attached arthropod promptly. Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible with fine‑point tweezers, pull upward with steady pressure, and avoid crushing the body. After extraction, cleanse the bite site with soap and water or an antiseptic solution.
Assess the wound for signs of infection or inflammation. Apply a sterile dressing if bleeding persists. Observe the area for the next 24–48 hours; increasing redness, swelling, or pus warrants medical evaluation.
Identify the tick species and duration of attachment when possible. Ticks attached for more than 36 hours carry a higher risk of transmitting pathogens such as Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease), Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Rickettsia spp., or Babesia spp. Record the date of the bite and any travel history.
If the tick is known to transmit Lyme disease and the bite occurred within the past 72 hours, a single dose of doxycycline (200 mg for adults, weight‑adjusted for children) may be prescribed as prophylaxis, provided no contraindications exist. For other infections, specific antimicrobial regimens are required:
- Anaplasmosis: Doxycycline 100 mg twice daily for 10–14 days.
- Rickettsial infections: Doxycycline 100 mg twice daily for 7–14 days.
- Babesiosis: Combination of atovaquone plus azithromycin for 7–10 days.
Patients with known allergies to tetracyclines should receive alternative agents, such as macrolides for certain rickettsial diseases, under physician supervision.
Monitor systemic symptoms for up to four weeks: fever, headache, myalgia, arthralgia, rash (especially erythema migrans), or neurological changes. Any emergence of these signs requires immediate clinical assessment and laboratory testing (serology, PCR, blood smear) to confirm infection and guide therapy.
Educate the individual on preventive measures: wear long sleeves and trousers, use EPA‑registered repellents containing DEET or picaridin, perform regular body checks after outdoor exposure, and treat clothing with permethrin. Reducing attachment time remains the most effective strategy to prevent disease transmission.