What does a tick infection look like? - briefly
A tick‑borne infection typically begins with a red, expanding rash—often a target‑shaped lesion—surrounded by a clear area, appearing 3‑30 days after the bite; it may be accompanied by fever, headache, fatigue, and muscle aches. If untreated, symptoms can progress to joint pain, neurological problems, or organ involvement.
What does a tick infection look like? - in detail
A tick-borne infection typically begins with a localized skin reaction at the bite site. Within a few days, a small, red, raised bump may appear; the center often clears, leaving a target‑shaped lesion known as an erythema migrans. This rash expands slowly, reaching several centimeters in diameter, and may be warm to the touch but usually does not itch or cause pain.
Systemic signs develop as the pathogen spreads. Common manifestations include:
- Fever, often above 38 °C (100.4 °F), accompanied by chills.
- Headache that may be severe and persistent.
- Muscle and joint aches, sometimes progressing to joint swelling.
- Fatigue and general malaise.
- Nausea, loss of appetite, or mild gastrointestinal upset.
Neurological involvement may present as facial nerve palsy, meningitis‑like symptoms (stiff neck, photophobia), or peripheral neuropathy. Cardiovascular effects can include irregular heart rhythm or heart block, detectable on an electrocardiogram.
Laboratory findings often reveal elevated inflammatory markers such as C‑reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Specific serologic tests detect antibodies against the causative organism, while polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays identify pathogen DNA in blood or tissue samples.
If untreated, the disease can progress to chronic manifestations: persistent arthritis, neurocognitive deficits, or cardiac complications. Early recognition of the characteristic rash and systemic symptoms, followed by prompt antimicrobial therapy, reduces the risk of severe outcomes.