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Blacklegged Tick (Female)
It was freezing cold and snowing in the woods yesterday, and yet I found this determined tick crawling up my leg. She was slow, but seemingly undaunted by the cold weather. There are so many ticks in the northeastern US, that we have to routinely check for ticks every 10 minutes or so while hiking. They are like a bloodsucking plague.
Adult, female blacklegged (commonly called deer ticks) have black heads and dorsal shields, dark red abdomens, and 8 legs.
The lifecycle of blacklegged ticks generally lasts two years. During this time, they go through four life stages: egg, six-legged larva, eight-legged nymph, and eight-legged adult. They are three-host ticks, which means that they must have one bloodmeal during each life stage (larva, nymph, adult) in order to survive. In addition, blacklegged ticks are the main vector of Lyme disease in North America. They can also transmit other diseases such as Babesiosis, Powassan, and Anaplasmosis.
"Ixodes scapularis" is a hard-bodied tick of the eastern and northern Midwestern United States. It is a vector for several diseases of animals, including humans and is known as the deer tick owing to its habit of parasitizing the white-tailed deer. It is also known to parasitize mice, lizards, migratory birds, etc. especially while the tick is in the larva or nymph stage.
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Most people around here treat their pets to keep them tick-free. Posted 7 years ago, modified 6 years ago
May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month. Lyme disease was first identified in 1975 and has since continued to increase in the number of cases and in geographical distribution. There are foci of Lyme disease in Asia, across northern Europe, and in the USA. The first recognized human infections occurred near the town of Old Lyme, Connecticut, USA, which is how the disease got its name. Every year, the CDC estimates that there are around 300,000 cases of Lyme disease in the United States, with most cases occurring in the Northeast and upper Midwest.
Lyme disease is caused by a spirochete (bacteria) called Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted through the bite of infected, blacklegged ticks in the genus Ixodes. The ticks get infected when they take a blood meal from infected rodents and birds. Many mammals can become infected, such as deer, which are important reservoirs of the disease; but, they do not exhibit symptoms and do not pass the infection to ticks.
In the United States, Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus are the species of blacklegged ticks that can spread the pathogen that causes Lyme disease. The ticks generally need to be attached for at least 36-48 hours before the bacterium can be transmitted. Ticks are not insects, they cannot jump, and they cannot fly. To find a host, they rest on low vegetation with their legs outstretched and wait to climb onto a passerby. This host-seeking behavior is called questing. The lifecycle of blacklegged ticks generally lasts two years. During this time, they go through four life stages: egg, six-legged larva, eight-legged nymph, and eight-legged adult. They are three-host ticks, which means that they must have one blood meal during each life stage (larva, nymph, adult) in order to survive. They feed on birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals.
Typical symptoms of the Lyme disease include fever, headache, fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, and oftentimes a skin rash called erythema migrans. The disease is difficult to diagnose in the early stages since the symptoms mimic many other illnesses. Diagnosis is based on symptoms, likelihood of exposure to infected ticks, and laboratory testing. Most cases can be successfully treated with antibiotics. Without treatment, the infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system. To avoid acquiring Lyme disease (and other tick-borne illnesses), consider using insect repellent, do tick checks and remove ticks promptly, reduce tick habitat in your yard, and dress appropriately when in the woods (light colored clothing, hair tied back, socks and shirts tucked in). Be tick alert and aware, especially if you live in an area when ticks are prevalent.
So, why haven't scientists found a cure for Lyme disease? The simple answer is that science is never simple. Good science is hard to do because it requires lots of funding and time to gain sufficient insight into the complicated worlds of parasitology and epidemiology. Lyme disease is complex as it deals with so many factors: ticks, bacteria, animal populations, habitat, weather, human actions, ecosystem health, and pesticide applications. There are too many variables that can't be controlled, making this a complicated problem with no simple solution. Studying tick-borne disease is arduous, yet there are many scientists out there who are successfully bearing this burden and making progress in research and education for the benefit of all. {Ixodes scapularis spotted in Connecticut, USA by JungleDragon moderator, Christine Young} #JungleDragon Posted 6 years ago