What do ticks do to humans? - briefly
Ticks attach to the skin, pierce it with a hypostome, and ingest blood, leading to local irritation and inflammation. During feeding they can transmit pathogens such as Borrelia burgdorferi, causing Lyme disease, along with other bacterial, viral, or protozoan infections.
What do ticks do to humans? - in detail
Ticks attach to the skin, pierce the epidermis with specialized mouthparts, and ingest blood for several days. The bite creates a small, often painless puncture that may develop into a localized erythema. Mechanical trauma can lead to secondary bacterial infection if the wound is scratched or contaminated.
Blood‑feeding enables transmission of a wide range of pathogens. Common agents include:
- Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative organism of Lyme disease
- Anaplasma phagocytophilum, responsible for human granulocytic anaplasmosis
- Rickettsia spp., causing various spotted‑fever illnesses
- Babesia microti, the protozoan behind babesiosis
- Powassan virus, a rare but severe encephalitic agent
- Various tick‑borne relapsing fever spirochetes
Clinical manifestations vary with the infecting organism but frequently involve:
- Fever, chills, and malaise
- Headache and neck stiffness
- Muscle and joint aches, particularly in the knees and shoulders
- Rash patterns: erythema migrans for Lyme disease, maculopapular or petechial lesions for rickettsial infections
- Neurological signs such as facial palsy, meningitis, or encephalitis in severe cases
In addition to infectious disease, prolonged attachment can cause tick‑induced paralysis. Salivary neurotoxins released by certain species disrupt neuromuscular transmission, producing ascending weakness that resolves after tick removal. Allergic responses range from localized urticaria to systemic anaphylaxis in sensitized individuals.
Preventive actions reduce exposure: wear protective clothing, apply approved repellents, conduct thorough body checks after outdoor activities, and remove attached ticks promptly with fine‑pointed tweezers, grasping close to the skin and pulling steadily. Early detection limits blood loss, prevents pathogen transmission, and avoids the complications described above.