Ticks are blood-feeding ectoparasites (parasites that occur on the surface of their host). They are larger than most other mites and cause discomfort directly by sucking the blood of human beings and other animals. Some of them also inject toxins into their hosts. Ticks are divided into hard-bodied ticks (family Ixodidae) and soft-bodied ticks (family Argasidae).
They are 2-5mm in size, males are smaller than females and their Capitulum (false head) consists of a base (which carries the mouth parts and pedipalps). Mouth parts consist of hypostome (ventral elongated structure with backwardly directed teeth) and two dorsal chelicerae with hooked digits surface may be covered by chitinous plat (scutum). Their ventral surface carries
1. 4 pairs of legs with one tarsa; segment and a pair of claws
2. the genital pore between the first coxae
3. the anus behind the last coxae
4. one respiratory spiracle on each side.
Life cycle
1. Female ticks lay eggs
2. Larvae hatch, feed on blood and then drop to the ground
3. Larvae molt into nymphs
4. Nymphs feed on blood and molt into adults.
5. Adult male and female feed on blood
6. Life cycle takes several months (1-2 years in some species).
Medical importance
Mechanical injury by the bite
2. Tick paralysis: progressive flaccidity due to a failure of acetylcholine liberation in the neuromuscular junction. Ticks' toxin produces a block in the motor nerve fibers. The toxin is elaborated by the tick's ovaries and is secreted salivary glands.
3. Vectors of diseases: hard-bodied (Ixodidae). Hard-bodied ticks are carriers of rickettsial, spirochaetal, viral, bacterial, and protozoan disease.
Ricketsial diseases:
1. American spotted fever (Rocky mountain spotted fever) caused by Rickettsia rickettsi
2. Q-fever caused by Coxiella (Rickettsia bumeti).
Modes of transmission of rickettsia disease are as follows:
1. by bite of the tick
2. contamination of bite wound with feces or coxal fluid. Rickettsiae are transmitted to progeny of ticks by transovarian mode. Spirochaetal diseases: Lyme disease caused by Borrelia burgdorferi. Viral diseases (Colorado tick fever and Encephalitis); bacterial diseases (Tularemia caused by Fracisella tularentis); Protosoan diseases (babesiosis cuased by Babesia divergens).
Mode of transmission of tick-bore diseases (spirochaetal, viral, bacterial, protozoan) is a tick bite. Soft-bodied ticks (Ornithodorus) are vectors of endemic relapsing fever (caused by Borrelia duttoni) and Q-fever.
Control of ticks
1. repair of cracks
2. Insecticide spraying on floors and cracks
3. Infested animals are dusted by insecticide agents or dipped in special solution.
Careful prevention when working or playing outdoors in endemic areas is the safest approach. In endemic areas: wear light-colored, tightly woven slacks and a long sleeved shirt; spray clothing with an insect repelleant containing N,N-diethytoluamide; try to stay out of dense brush; check yourself often for ticks; watch for early signs of spirochaetal disease (e.g Lyme disease), which can include a small red bump surrounded by a circular red rash, and/ or fatigue, chills, headache, low-grade fever, and muscle and joint aches. Caught at an early stage, antibiotics can usually stop the infection.
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