Ticks are small arachnids in the order Ixodida that, along with mites, constitute the subclass Acarina. Ticks are ectoparasites, external parasites, living by hematophagy on the blood of mammals, birds, and occasionally reptiles and amphibians. Ticks can carry a large number of diseases, including Lyme disease, Q fever which is a rare disease and more commonly transmitted by infected excreta, Colorado tick fever, tularemia, tick-borne relapsing fever, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis and tick-borne meningoencephalitis, as well as bovine anaplasmosis.
Tick-borne illnesses are caused by infection with a variety of pathogens, including rickettsia and other types of bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. Because ticks can harbor more than one disease-causing agent at once, patients can be infected with more than one pathogen at the same time, which can seriously increase the difficulty in diagnosis and treatment. Eggs can be infected with pathogens inside of the ovaries, meaning that baby ticks can be infectious immediately at birth, before feeding on their first host.
In general, the best way to remove adult tick is mechanically. After removal, one should inspect the tick's head and mouthparts to ascertain whether they remain attached to the body. If they are not attached, it might be necessary to perform a punch biopsy to remove any parts remaining inside the patient.
With the possible exception of widespread DDT (synthetic pesticide) use in the Soviet Union, attempts to limit the population or distribution of disease-causing ticks have so far been very unsuccessful.
The parasitic Ichneumon wasp has long been investigated for its potential to control tick populations. It lays its eggs into ticks so that the hatching wasps kill their host.
Another natural form of control for ticks is the guineafowl, a bird species which consumes mass quantities of ticks. Just 2 birds can clear approximately 2 whole acres in a single year.
Tick-borne illnesses are caused by infection with a variety of pathogens, including rickettsia and other types of bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. Because ticks can harbor more than one disease-causing agent at once, patients can be infected with more than one pathogen at the same time, which can seriously increase the difficulty in diagnosis and treatment. Eggs can be infected with pathogens inside of the ovaries, meaning that baby ticks can be infectious immediately at birth, before feeding on their first host.
In general, the best way to remove adult tick is mechanically. After removal, one should inspect the tick's head and mouthparts to ascertain whether they remain attached to the body. If they are not attached, it might be necessary to perform a punch biopsy to remove any parts remaining inside the patient.
With the possible exception of widespread DDT (synthetic pesticide) use in the Soviet Union, attempts to limit the population or distribution of disease-causing ticks have so far been very unsuccessful.
The parasitic Ichneumon wasp has long been investigated for its potential to control tick populations. It lays its eggs into ticks so that the hatching wasps kill their host.
Another natural form of control for ticks is the guineafowl, a bird species which consumes mass quantities of ticks. Just 2 birds can clear approximately 2 whole acres in a single year.
