American Medical Association Family Medical Guide - American Medical Association [652]
• If you think that a tick has bitten you, see your doctor right away.
Removing a Tick
If you find a tick on your skin, remove it as soon as you can (before it becomes embedded in your skin), but resist the urge to hit it or to pull it out immediately with your fingers. Removal of the entire tick (including the head) is necessary because any part of a tick can continue to release infectious microbes.
To remove a tick from the skin:
• Do not touch the tick with your fingers. If possible, put on a pair of rubber gloves, or protect your fingers with a tissue. Do not use a lighted match or cigarette on the tick because doing so can cause the tick to embed itself farther into the skin or to release disease-causing microbes from its stomach.
• Using tweezers or small, curved forceps, grasp the tick’s head (not just the body) as close to the surface of the skin as possible. (Try to remove the tick in one piece; if the tick’s head breaks off, it could become embedded in the skin.) Pull on the tick gently; it may take a few minutes for the tick to loosen its grip.
• After you remove the tick, save it in a jar or small, sealable plastic bag to bring to your doctor. Remember not to touch the tick.
• Disinfect the bite with alcohol.
• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
• See your doctor right away. If the tick’s head is still embedded in the skin, the doctor will remove it and recommend treatment.
A person who has been infected with the bacteria may not notice the tick bite that caused the disease. If you find a tick embedded in your skin, remove it as soon as possible (see above). The risk of becoming infected increases if the tick stays attached to your body for several hours or if you crush the tick while trying to remove it. Untreated, Rocky Mountain spotted fever can be fatal.
Symptoms
Symptoms of Rocky Mountain spotted fever develop from about 2 days to several weeks after exposure to the bacterium. Symptoms include severe headache, fever (up to 105°F), and severe muscle aches and weakness. Other symptoms can include chills, abdominal pain, nausea, spasms in the back, and mental confusion. Most people develop a characteristic rash (2 to 5 days after a bite) that usually begins as flat red spots on the palms of the hands and on the soles of the feet. The rash spreads to the wrists, ankles, legs, arms, and finally the trunk. Later stages of the disease include damage to the kidneys, liver, and lungs. Eventually, the person loses consciousness.
Diagnosis
Doctors diagnose Rocky Mountain spotted fever by taking two consecutive blood tests to check for antibodies (specific proteins the body produces to fight the bacteria). The second test is done 10 to 14 days after the illness begins to see if the level of antibodies has increased, which indicates an active infection.
Treatment
To treat Rocky Mountain spotted fever, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics as soon as the infection is diagnosed (because there is an increased risk of organ damage and death if treatment is delayed). If the disease is not treated right away, you may have to be hospitalized to treat any organ damage.
West Nile Virus Infection
West Nile virus is spread by the bites of infected mosquitoes and can infect people, birds, horses, and some other animals. The virus does not appear to spread from person to person or from animal to person but it may be transmitted through infected donor organs or in blood transfusions. In northern climates, most cases develop in late summer or early fall. In southern climates, the virus can be transmitted throughout the year. Most people who are infected have mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. However, in rare cases, the infection can cause severe symptoms and can be fatal. People over age 50 are more likely to have a severe infection. An estimated 1 in 150 people infected with the virus develops a severe