Three Diseases that Ticks Carry

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tick biteTicks have a bad reputation for a good reason. These small parasitic pets will attach themselves to a host and feed for up to 48 hours at a time. When attaching with the host, the saliva from the tick will mix with the blood of the host and this is how the disease is spread. Ticks can be difficult to spot and make it hard to prevent the transmission of disease. Here are some diseases that ticks can transmit.

1. Lyme Disease

Symptoms:

  • Bulls-eye rash around the bite
  • Achy joints and stiffness
  • Fever
  • Headaches
  • Short-term memory issues

Lyme disease is a serious condition that is prevalent throughout the United States. It is spread by the blacklegged tick. Lyme disease can be treated with a round of antibiotics. Catching and diagnosing Lyme disease early can help prevent the more serious symptoms from developing. If it takes years to diagnose the disease, it may take much longer to recover and some people’s health may never fully recover.

2. Tularemia

Symptoms:

  • Ulcer at the location of the bite
  • Swollen lymph nodes

Tularemia is a rare disease. There are other forms of it but you will not catch them from a tick bite. Antibiotics are effective at treating the disease. If you think that you have contracted tularemia or develop an open sore where you were bitten, you should seek medical attention.

3. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Symptoms:

  • Spotted rash
  • Headache
  • Fever
  • Vomiting
  • Stomach Pain

Rocky Mountain spotted fever is spread by the brown dog tick. It is prevalent throughout the United States. The rash may develop later, which can make Rocky Mountain spotted fever difficult to diagnose. Catching the disease early is essential to prevent further complications. The disease can be treated with antibiotics. If not treated early, it can lead to death. Some severe cases may require amputation of limbs due to damage of the blood vessels.

If you are worried about your family possibly being bitten by a tick, you can treat your yard. The technicians at Mosquito Tek can apply a barrier spray that will eliminate ticks in your yard and stop new ones from coming.

Learn more about flea and tick extermination treatments.