What is a corpse tick in humans? - briefly
A corpse tick, Dermacentor species that typically feeds on carrion, can occasionally bite humans, causing localized skin irritation and possible transmission of pathogens. Its presence on a person indicates exposure to environments where dead animals are decomposing.
What is a corpse tick in humans? - in detail
The corpse tick, a member of the soft‑tick family Ornithodoros, is a hematophagous ectoparasite that occasionally bites people, especially when it inhabits animal burrows, bird nests, or the surroundings of dead bodies. Unlike hard ticks, it feeds rapidly, often for less than a minute, and then drops off. Its presence is most common in arid or semi‑arid regions, where it can survive for years without a host.
Biology and life cycle
- Adult females lay thousands of eggs after a single blood meal.
- Larvae hatch within weeks, undergo several molts, and each stage (larva, nymph, adult) requires a blood meal to progress.
- The tick can survive long periods of starvation, enabling it to remain in carcass sites for extended times.
Medical significance
- Bites may cause localized pain, erythema, and itching.
- The species Ornithodoros hermsi and O. moubata are vectors of Borrelia spp., the agents of tick‑borne relapsing fever.
- Transmission occurs during the brief feeding episode; the pathogen resides in the tick’s salivary glands.
- Symptoms of relapsing fever include recurrent high fever, headache, myalgia, and, in severe cases, neurologic complications.
Diagnosis
- Clinical suspicion based on exposure history and the characteristic fever pattern.
- Laboratory confirmation through blood smear, polymerase chain reaction, or serology for Borrelia antibodies.
Treatment
- Antibiotic regimens, typically doxycycline (100 mg orally twice daily for 7–10 days) or erythromycin for patients unable to take tetracyclines.
- Symptomatic care for bite reactions includes antihistamines or topical corticosteroids.
Prevention
- Inspection and sealing of animal shelters, bird roosts, and storage areas to eliminate tick habitats.
- Use of insecticidal dusts (e.g., silica gel, carbaryl) in infested structures.
- Personal protective equipment when handling carcasses or working in known tick zones.
Understanding the tick’s ecology, the diseases it can transmit, and the appropriate clinical response reduces the health impact of this parasite on humans.