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| Fig. 34.10 Attached feeding tick with an allergic host response manifesting as erythema and induration. (Courtesy of the Fitzsimons Army Medical Center teaching files.) |
The tick bite may cause a foreign body reaction, allergic reaction to salivary proteins, reaction to a toxin (e.g., tick paralysis), or, more importantly, infectious disease carried by the tick (Fig. 34-10). Prompt removal of an attached tick may prevent transmission of potential tick-borne infectious disease. Suffocation techniques with petrolatum, heating with matches, or application of irritants should be avoided. Removal of the attached tick should be done by gentle, steady traction by blunt forceps or glove-protected fingers that grip the tick near the head’s attachment. Direct contact with the tick should be avoided to prevent contact with infectious organisms. The site and date of the tick removal should be recorded for future observations. The tick can be saved for identification and possible analysis for infectious disease.
Gammons M, Salam G: Tick removal,
Am Fam Physician 15:643–645, 2002.
