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Tick Borne Diseases. By Ralph Policichio. 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.
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Tick Borne Diseases By Ralph Policichio
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.
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_mcmec/tickborn.pdf -http://gorp.away.com/gorp/health/ticks.htm