Biomedical and Health Informatics
Articles Information
Biomedical and Health Informatics, Vol.1, No.2, Oct. 2016, Pub. Date: Dec. 27, 2016
Medical Importance of Ticks Bite and Diseases Transmission by Means of It Affecting Humans
Pages: 44-51 Views: 4266 Downloads: 1063
Authors
[01] Muhammad Haroon Sarwar, Allied Hospital- Punjab Medical College, Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan.
[02] Muhammad Sarwar, Department of Entomology, Nuclear Institute for Food & Agriculture (NIFA), Tarnab, Peshawar, Pakistan.
Abstract
This article offers a practical tool for those who are looking for information on ticks, especially when the highest risk of their being bitten occurs in humans. The information includes particular stages of the different tick species, predilection sites for each stage and also a summary of their biology, hosts and importance as vector of pathogens causing diseases of humans and animals. Ticks are attached to the body of host for a blood meal and cause mechanical injury by insertion of mouth parts into the skin resulting irritation and serious physical damages to body. Feeding by large numbers of ticks causes unrest, the direct injury to skins due to tick bites, loss of blood due to the nourishing of ticks and weight loss due to massive infestation of ticks. Like any ticks, Ixodes species may cause irritation and pruritus around attachment sites, and secondary infections can develop at tick attachment spots, leading to sepsis. Of the many different tick species found throughout the world, only a few selective species can bite and transmit disease to humans. The highest risk of being bitten occurs during spring and summer by american dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis), blacklegged tick or deer tick (Ixodes scapularis), brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus), gulf coast tick (Amblyomma maculatum), lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum), rocky mountain wood tick (Dermacentor andersoni), western blacklegged tick (Ixodes pacificus), pacific coast tick (Dermacentor occidentalis) and cayenne tick (Amblyomma cajennense). They rank second only to mosquitoes as vectors of life threatening or debilitating human and animal diseases caused by protozoa, rickettsiae, bacteria, viruses and helminths. Personal protection, and use of repellents and acaricide impregnated clothing are recommended methods to minimize contact with infected ticks. Controlling of tick infestations can be difficult and usually requires a four step process, treating the pets, treating the house, treating the yard and sanitizing the house by focusing on vacuuming. This process may take several treatments and proceed several months to eradicate the ticks infestation. Pets not treated with acaricides may bring ticks into the home which can then move to peoples and other animals, thus, creating a risk of infection. Keeping of pets maintained with acaricides, creates a safer environment for the animals and peoples. Vaccinating of pets for diseases in areas where ticks are endemic or emerging in addition to diligent attention to tick control on pets and in the environment, can provide the most comprehensive protection against the many diseases transmitted by these vectors.
Keywords
Tick Identification, Tick Bite-ology, Tick Activity, Tick Notes, Tick Repellent
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