What are the dangers of ticks? - briefly
Ticks serve as vectors for bacterial, viral, and protozoan pathogens—including Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease), Rickettsia spp. (rocky‑mountain spotted fever), and Babesia spp.—which can produce neurological, cardiac, and systemic complications. Their saliva may also provoke allergic reactions or, rarely, neurotoxic paralysis.
What are the dangers of ticks? - in detail
Ticks transmit a range of pathogens that cause serious human illnesses. Lyme disease, the most common tick‑borne infection, results from the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. Early symptoms include erythema migrans, fever, headache and fatigue; if untreated, infection can progress to arthritis, cardiac conduction abnormalities and neurological deficits such as meningitis or peripheral neuropathy. Rocky Mountain spotted fever, caused by Rickettsia rickettsii, produces high fever, rash and vascular damage, with a mortality rate that exceeds 10 % when diagnosis is delayed. Tick‑borne encephalitis, prevalent in parts of Europe and Asia, leads to meningitis, encephalitis and long‑term cognitive impairment. Anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis, bacterial diseases transmitted by Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Ehrlichia chaffeensis, cause leukopenia, thrombocytopenia and organ dysfunction; severe cases may require intensive care. Babesiosis, a protozoan infection, produces hemolytic anemia, hemoglobinuria and renal failure, especially in immunocompromised patients.
In addition to infectious hazards, tick bites can trigger allergic reactions. Local inflammation, swelling and pain are common; in rare instances, systemic anaphylaxis occurs, requiring emergency treatment. Some tick species, notably the Australian paralysis tick, inject neurotoxins that induce progressive muscular weakness and respiratory failure, a condition that can be fatal without prompt antitoxin administration.
Geographic distribution expands with climate change, increasing exposure risk in temperate regions previously considered low‑risk. Occupational groups—foresters, agricultural workers, outdoor recreationists—experience higher incidence rates due to prolonged contact with tick habitats. Economic consequences include healthcare costs for diagnosis, treatment and long‑term rehabilitation, as well as productivity losses from prolonged illness.
Overall, tick‑borne diseases present a multifaceted threat: acute, potentially lethal infections; chronic debilitating sequelae; allergic and neurotoxic reactions; and growing public‑health burden linked to environmental shifts.