What can you contract from a tick bite? - briefly
Tick bites can transmit bacterial, viral, and protozoal infections such as «Lyme disease», «anaplasmosis», «Babesiosis», «Rocky Mountain spotted fever», and «Tick‑borne encephalitis». Prompt removal and prophylactic antibiotics reduce the risk of severe outcomes.
What can you contract from a tick bite? - in detail
Tick bites serve as a vector for a wide range of pathogens. The most common bacterial agents include Lyme disease caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, anaplasmosis from Anaplasma phagocytophilum, ehrlichiosis due to Ehrlichia species, Rocky Mountain spotted fever transmitted by Rickettsia rickettsii, tularemia caused by Francisella tularensis, and relapsing fever associated with Borrelia species. Additional bacterial infections such as Borrelia mayonii and Coxiella burnetii have been reported in specific regions.
Viral threats comprise tick‑borne encephalitis virus, Crimean‑Congo hemorrhagic fever virus, Heartland virus, and Bourbon virus. These viruses can produce neurological, hemorrhagic, or febrile illnesses depending on the pathogen and host response.
Protozoal disease primarily involves babesiosis, which results from infection with Babesia microti or related species and may cause hemolytic anemia.
Non‑infectious conditions linked to tick attachment include α‑gal syndrome, an IgE‑mediated allergy to red meat, and tick‑induced paralysis caused by neurotoxins secreted in the salivary glands of certain tick species.
Geographic distribution determines the prevalence of each agent. Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes ricinus are principal vectors for Lyme disease in North America and Europe, respectively. Dermacentor and Rhipicephalus species transmit many rickettsial and viral pathogens in temperate and subtropical zones. Awareness of local tick species and their associated disease profiles guides preventive measures and clinical assessment.