The Tick Bite

As detailed elsewhere on this website, tick control is important because a tick bite can lead to a number of dangerous--even life-threatening--diseases. 

Ticks have a structure near the mouth known as a hypostome that acts like a harpoon. The hypostome has barbs which allow the tick to dig into the host's skin while feeding. After biting, a tick may stay and feed from a single host for hours or even days.

When a tick bites, it may deposit toxins, secretions, or organisms into the person being bitten. These may lead to such tick-related diseases as Lyme disease, tick paralysis and Rocky mountain spotted fever. The most dangerous time is usually near the end of the bite as the tick becomes engorged with blood (see picture below).

There are more than 800 known varieties of ticks, but two types are of major concern to humans due to diseases they can transmit.

Ixodidae These are also known as hard ticks because they have a tough back plate or scutum that defines their appearance. When someone gets Lyme disease from a tick bite, it's usually the bite of a tick from this family.

Argasidae are soft ticks. They have a more rounded body that doesn't include the hard "shell" of the Ixodidae.

Many people don't even know they have a tick bite right away. Ticks can inject neurotoxins that prevent the host from feeling any pain or irritation from the bite. Eventually, however, these bites can cause an intensely painful reaction.

Some people are allergic to tick bite secretions. These people may have a severe allergic reaction almost immediately.

What does a tick bite look like?

Not all tick bites look the same. Some look similar to mosquito bites. Other simply look like a small bump or bruise on the skin.

The most common tipoff that you have a tick bite is a red, swollen spot with a ring around it that resembles a bullseye. The ring will be approximately the same color as the spot.

If you have a tick bite, you may also develop blisters and an itchy rash.

However, this type of rash doesn't always appear. In other words, there may not be any indication of a tick bite on the skin at all, even though Lyme disease may be starting.

Furthermore, if there it s rash, it won't always look like a bulls eye, and won't always be located at the site of the bite.

A rash from a tick bite may vary in size. It's commonly believed that the rash will be approximately the size of a U.S. quarter or silver dollar. But this is not always true. It could be bigger, smaller, or not be visible at all.

Tick bite symptoms

Once you have a tick bite, you may start noticing the following symptoms

• chills,
• fatigue,
• fever,
• headache,
• loss of appetite
• muscle weakness,
• walking difficulties.

Tick bites: what to do

It's helpful to remember that not all tick bites result in disease. In fact, your chances of becoming ill from a tick bite are quite low. Nonetheless, you don't want to be the "lucky" one who gets sick.

Sometimes you'll notice a tick on your skin when a bite is in progress. It's important to remove the tick as soon as possible, it's also important to do it the right way. For additional information, click on proper tick removal.

It will be a good idea to call you doctor if you know (or even suspect) you've been bitten by a tick. Your doctor will recommend one of two courses of action:

1. treating you with a preventive antibiotic immediately, or
2. keeping a close watch to see if any of the above symptoms begin to develop

Taking a blood test immediately after a tick bite will be of no benefit. Signs of disease won't show up in the blood for 2-6 weeks after the bite. 

                Ticks (magnified before bite)            Engorged tick after feeding