Scientific name: Ixodes holocyclus
Distribution
Eastern coast of Australia, from Queensland to Victoria
Description
Out of the 70 species of ticks in Australia, this is the most medically important because it can cause paralysis by injecting neurotoxins into its host. It causes discomfort, illness, and death to many domestic animals, especially dogs and cats. This tick rarely causes death to humans.
Diseases it may transmit
Rickettsial spotted fever (also called the Queensland tick typhus), Flinders Island spotted fever, and tick paralysis.
Symptoms and Treatments of Australian Paralysis Bite
| Symptoms | Treatment |
| Early symptoms: * Rashes * Headache * Fever * Influenza-like symptoms * Tenderness of lymph nodes * Unsteady gait * Intolerance to bright light * Increasing weakness of limbs * Partial facial paralysis In older children and adults, early symptoms may include: * Repetitive uncontrollable eye movements (nystagmus) or double vision as a result of eye muscle weakness Children affected by the Australian paralysis tick: * Refuse food * Become subdued * Sleep excessively * May experience heart inflammation (myocarditis) in addition to muscle paralysis | 1. Remove the tick with clean pointy tweezers or fine forceps. 2. Grasp the tick head area, not the body. 3. Pull firmly and steadily as the tick lets go of the skin. 4. Do not squeeze the tick’s body, either send it to a lab for testing or drown it in alcohol or soapy water. 5. If symptoms are advanced or if the tick is in the auditory canal or any other inaccessible position, refer to a hospital immediately. Note that after the removal of the Australian paralysis tick, the patient’s condition may worsen. The toxin can be fatal and paralysis can continue to spread up to 48 hours after the tick has been removed. The patient should be closely monitored during this time frame. If the condition worsens within the timeframe, immediately seek medical help. |
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