Some types of ticks in the United States can transmit infections, though ticks often need to feed for some time before transmitting an infectious agent, so the risk of acquiring a tick-borne infection is generally low.
For example, the deer tick that transmits Lyme disease must feed for more than 36 hours before it transmits the spirochete that causes Lyme disease, so the risk of acquiring Lyme disease from a noted tick bite is about 1.2 to 1.4 percent, even in areas where deer ticks and Lyme disease are common.
Tick bites may only look like a small red lump where the bite occurred. They may resemble the bites of other insects so it can be difficult to distinguish a tick bite from that of another insect.
Tick bites may also present with:
- A small black dot where the bite occurred
- A bull’s eye rash
- If the rash feels warm and expands or forms a bulls-eye pattern that grows to 12 inches in diameter over within three to 30 days, it may be a sign of Lyme disease
- See a doctor if you notice a bull’s eye rash
How Can You Tell It's a Tick Bite?
Tick bites are often painless and may only leave a small red bump. Sometimes, the lump may be accompanied by:
- Itching
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Blistering
If you find a tick attached to you and you are concerned, or you get a tick bite and develop the symptoms of tick-related illnesses within a few weeks see a doctor. Different tickborne diseases may have similar signs and symptoms. Symptoms of a tick-borne illness may include:
- Fever
- All tickborne diseases can cause fever
- Chills
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Muscle aches
- Joint pain (Lyme disease)
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Rash [Lyme disease, Southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI), Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), ehrlichiosis, and tularemia can cause rashes]
- Flulike symptoms, particularly during the spring and summer months
How Is a Tick Bite Diagnosed?
Tick-borne illnesses caused by tick bites are diagnosed with a patient history that includes a known or suspected tick bite and a physical examination. It is helpful if you can tell the doctor about the size and color of the tick, whether it was attached to the skin, if it was engorged with blood, and how long it was attached.
Blood tests help confirm a diagnosis of certain tick-borne diseases such as:
- Anaplasmosis
- Babesiosis
- Lyme disease
- A negative result may occur if tested soon after being infected and antibodies to the illness have not yet developed
What Is the Treatment for a Tick Bite?
Treatment for a tick bite begins with removing the tick, which can often be done at home.
- Use a set of fine tweezers and grasp the tick as close to the skin surface as possible
- Pull backwards gently but firmly, using an even, steady pressure
- Do NOT:
- Jerk or twist while pulling
- Squeeze, puncture, or crush the body of the tick, because its bodily fluids may contain infectious agents
- Use a smoldering match or cigarette, petroleum jelly, liquid soap, nail polish, or kerosene because they could irritate the tick and cause it to inject its potentially infection-causing bodily fluids into the wound
- After removing the tick:
- Wash skin and hands thoroughly with soap and water
- If any parts of the tick remain in the skin, leave them alone to be expelled on their own
The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) recommends preventive treatment for tick bites with the antibiotic doxycycline only in people who meet ALL the following criteria:
- The attached tick is identified as an adult or nymphal Ixodes scapularis (deer) tick, the type of tick that spreads Lyme disease
- The tick bite occurs in a highly endemic area, meaning an area in which Lyme disease is common
- The tick is estimated to have been attached for at least 36 hours
- Doxycycline is able to be given within 72 hours of tick removal
- The person is able to take doxycycline
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https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/index.html
https://www.uptodate.com/contents/what-to-do-after-a-tick-bite-to-prevent-lyme-disease-beyond-the-basics/print
https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/injuries/skin-injuries/tick-bites
https://www.terminix.com/ticks/bites/