What will happen if a tick gets under a person's skin? - briefly
When a tick penetrates the skin it creates a small, often painful bump as it feeds and releases saliva that triggers local inflammation. If the arthropod carries pathogens, the bite can transmit infections such as Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
What will happen if a tick gets under a person's skin? - in detail
When a tick penetrates the epidermis, its mouthparts anchor into the dermal tissue and begin to ingest blood. The mandibles and hypostome, equipped with backward‑pointing barbs, create a secure attachment that can last several days. Saliva injected during feeding contains anticoagulants, anesthetics, and immunomodulatory proteins, which facilitate prolonged blood intake and reduce host detection.
Physiological response
- Immediate local reaction: erythema and mild swelling at the bite site, often accompanied by a small central punctum.
- Systemic signs may develop within hours to days if pathogens are transmitted: fever, headache, fatigue, muscle aches, and rash.
- In rare cases, allergic hypersensitivity to tick saliva can cause intense itching, hives, or anaphylaxis.
Pathogen transmission
Ticks are vectors for bacteria (e.g., Borrelia burgdorferi causing Lyme disease), viruses (e.g., Powassan virus), and protozoa (e.g., Babesia spp.). Transmission risk depends on tick species, duration of attachment, and geographic prevalence. For Lyme disease, a minimum of 36–48 hours of feeding is typically required for spirochete transfer.
Complications
- Lyme disease: arthritis, neurological deficits, cardiac conduction abnormalities if untreated.
- Tick‑borne encephalitis: meningitis‑like symptoms, seizures.
- Anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis: cytopenias, organ dysfunction.
- Local infection: secondary bacterial cellulitis if the bite area is contaminated.
Removal procedure
- Use fine‑pointed tweezers or a tick‑removal tool; grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible.
- Pull upward with steady, even pressure; avoid twisting or squeezing the body to prevent salivary regurgitation.
- Disinfect the bite site with an antiseptic; wash hands thoroughly.
- Preserve the specimen in a sealed container with alcohol if laboratory identification is needed.
- Monitor the area for expanding erythema or systemic symptoms for at least 30 days; seek medical evaluation if any arise.
Prompt extraction reduces the likelihood of pathogen transmission, but even early removal does not guarantee complete protection, as some agents can be delivered within minutes of attachment. Awareness of tick‑borne disease prevalence in the region and timely medical consultation remain essential components of effective management.