Search
tick paralysis
Etiology:
1) Dermacentor andersoni & variabilis in USA
2) other types of ticks in North America & elsewhere in the world
Epidemiology: rare
Pathology:
- neuromuscular block & decreased nerve conduction by a toxin in the tick saliva
Clinical manifestations:
1) ascending flaccid paralysis
2) weakness begins in the lower extremities 5-6 days after the tick has attached
3) paralysis ascends symmetrically over several days to result in complete paralysis of the extremities & cranial nerves
4) deep tendon reflexes are diminished or absent
5) sensory examination findings are generally normal
Laboratory:
- cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) analysis is generally normal
Complications:
- failure to remove the tick may result in death from aspiration or respiratory paralysis
Management:
1) removal of the tick results in improvement within 1 hour & generally complete recovery after several days
2) an antiserum to saliva of Ixodes holocyclus, the usual cause of tick paralysis in Australia, effectively reverses tick paralysis caused by these ticks
3) see tick bite for tick removal
Related
Dermacentor andersoni (Rocky Mountain wood tick)
Dermacentor variabilis (American dog tick)
tick bite
General
paralysis
References
- Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 13th ed.
Isselbacher et al (eds), McGraw-Hill Inc. NY, 1994, pg 934
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Cluster of tick paralysis cases--Colorado, 2006.
MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2006 Sep 1;55(34):933-5.
PMID: 16943761