How to treat ticks in humans? - briefly
Remove attached ticks with fine‑pointed tweezers, grasping close to the skin and pulling upward with steady pressure, then disinfect the bite site and monitor for rash or fever. If symptoms of a tick‑borne disease develop, seek immediate medical evaluation and, when appropriate, begin antibiotic treatment such as doxycycline.
How to treat ticks in humans? - in detail
Tick attachment requires prompt removal to reduce pathogen transmission. Grasp the tick’s head or mouthparts with fine‑point tweezers, pull steadily upward without twisting. Disinfect the bite site with an alcohol swab or iodine solution after extraction.
After removal, assess for signs of infection or disease. Monitor for erythema, swelling, fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, or a rash resembling a target (bull’s‑eye). If any of these symptoms develop within 2‑4 weeks, seek medical evaluation.
Pharmacologic interventions depend on the identified or suspected pathogen:
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Bacterial infections (e.g., Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever)
- Administer doxycycline 100 mg orally twice daily for 10–21 days (adjust dose for children or pregnant patients).
- For severe cases, consider intravenous doxycycline or alternative agents such as ceftriaxone.
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Viral infections (e.g., tick‑borne encephalitis)
- Supportive care; no specific antiviral therapy proven effective.
- Hospitalization for neurological involvement, with monitoring of intracranial pressure and seizure prophylaxis.
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Protozoal infections (e.g., babesiosis)
- Combine atovaquone 750 mg with azithromycin 1000 mg on day 1, then atovaquone 750 mg twice daily plus azithromycin 500 mg daily for 7–10 days.
- Severe disease may require clindamycin plus quinine.
Adjunctive measures:
- Apply a cold pack to reduce local inflammation.
- Use over‑the‑counter analgesics (acetaminophen or ibuprofen) for pain and fever.
- Advise patients to avoid scratching the bite area to prevent secondary bacterial infection.
Preventive strategies include wearing long sleeves, using EPA‑registered repellents containing DEET or picaridin, and performing thorough body checks after outdoor activities. Prompt identification and removal, followed by appropriate antimicrobial therapy when indicated, constitute the core of effective management.