Tick Borne Diseases

By Ralph Policichio

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Tick Borne Diseases

Ticks are external parasites that feed on the blood of vertebrates Tick-borne pathogens: fungi, bacteria, protozoa, and viruses.

Ixodidae, or hard ticks, and Argasidae or soft ticks. Tick-borne diseases are diseases which are spread between animals by the bite of an infected tick Ticks become infected by feeding on animals that are either sick from disease, or are healthy but have the parasite in their blood (carriers) Ticks infect animals when they feed on them, through their saliva A single infected tick can pass disease on to an animal

Lyme Disease

 Where it occurs  Caused by: a spirochete bacterium (Borrelia burgdorferi)  Carried by: deer ticks  The tick’s hosts are many.

http://www.shore.co.monmouth.nj.us/06270_mcmec/tickborn.pdf

Babesiosis

 Where it occurs  Caused by: protozoans of the genus Borrelia  Carried by: brown dog ticks and deer ticks

Ehrlichiosis

 Where it occurs  Caused by: the bacterial species Ehrlichia  Carried by: lone star tick

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

 Where it occurs  Caused by: a bacterium, Rickettsia rickettsii  Carried by: Rocky Mountain wood tick and American dog tick

Relapsing Fever

 Where it occurs  Caused by: many spirochetes (a bacteria) species from the Borrelia genus  Carried by: soft ticks of the Ornithodoros genus

Tularemia (or Rabbit fever)

 Where it occurs  Caused by: bacterium (Francisella tularensis)  Carried by: Rocky Mountain wood tick, lone star tick, and American dog tick

Tick Paralysis

 Where it occurs  Caused by: a neurotoxin produced in the salivary glands of a female tick  Carried by: deer tick, dog tick, Rocky Mtn. wood tick, and Lone Star tick

Conclusion

 These diseases can cause severe discomfort and sometimes even death if left untreated.

 Caution should be taken when entering likely tick habitats.

References

-American Lyme Disease Foundation, Inc http://www.aldf.com/TickParalysis.asp

-Smith, Dwight. The Ugly World of Ticks. The World & I. 2002 -New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services. Tick-borne Diseases of New Jersey. 1999. http://www.shore.co.monmouth.nj.us/06270_mc mec/tickborn.pdf

-http://gorp.away.com/gorp/health/ticks.htm