What will happen if a tick is not removed from the leg? - briefly
Prolonged attachment of a tick to the leg may cause tissue damage and creates a pathway for pathogens such as «Lyme disease» or «Rocky Mountain spotted fever», increasing the risk of serious infection.
What will happen if a tick is not removed from the leg? - in detail
If a tick remains attached to the lower limb, the host is exposed to several medical risks that increase with the duration of attachment.
Pathogen transmission rises sharply after 24 hours of feeding. Common agents include Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease), Rickettsia spp. (spotted fevers), Anaplasma phagocytophilum (anaplasmosis), and Babesia spp. (babesiosis). Early infection may produce a localized erythema migrans, fever, headache, or malaise; delayed diagnosis can lead to arthritis, neurological deficits, or cardiac involvement.
Tick‑borne paralysis is a rare but serious complication. Neurotoxic salivary proteins can cause progressive muscle weakness, beginning in the legs and potentially advancing to respiratory failure if the tick is not removed promptly.
Local tissue reaction may develop into an ulcerated lesion or secondary bacterial infection. The bite site can become inflamed, painful, and prone to cellulitis, especially when the protective skin barrier is compromised.
The risk of allergic hypersensitivity, including IgE‑mediated reactions, also escalates. Symptoms range from localized pruritus to systemic urticaria and, in extreme cases, anaphylaxis.
Summarized consequences:
- Increased probability of vector‑borne diseases after 24 hours
- Potential onset of tick‑induced neuroparalysis
- Development of ulceration or secondary bacterial infection at the attachment site
- Heightened risk of allergic or hypersensitivity reactions
Prompt removal within the first 24 hours markedly reduces these hazards. Delayed extraction leaves the host vulnerable to the outlined complications.