Tiny blood sucking arachnid found in the UK can kill with one bite

A blood sucking spider-like creature that can kill humans with just one bite is roaming the entire UK - and there is no cure for its attacks.

The tiny tick is found in woodland areas across the nation and scientists have now discovered it’s saliva triggers an allergic reaction that can be fatal.

Depending on the species of tick, reactions to the bites can range from a simple itch to full blown anaphylactic shock.

Scientists discovered the ticks, which are also found in heaths in the UK, have evolved to be able to bite without triggering their victim’s immune response.

Proteins in the arachnids' spit evolved to manipulate immune cells so that the bloodsuckers can suck blood and transmit pathogens in peace.

In the UK they are known to pass on Lyme Diseases to humans.

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It was only recently discovered that tick bites even cause allergic reactions but global warming and habitat loss has increased its contact with humans.

But a vaccine for tick bite allergies could be developed from the spit allergen once it is identified, the study published in Trends in Parasitology revealed.

Professor of Molecular Biology Jose de la Fuente said: "No specific treatment for a tick bite allergy is currently available.

"Anyone who lives in a risk area or is moving to a region with many reported cases would benefit from such a vaccine.

"We understand that these allergies are produced by tick bites, but we need to know the precise molecules produced by the tick in the saliva that cause this effect when they bite a vertebrate host.

"We believe that there are proteins in the tick saliva modified by a compound called alpha-gal that changes the immune response in humans, so that it is possible to have these allergic reactions."

Prof de la Fuente said the alpha-gal modified proteins are prime suspect.

This is because alpha-gal is not synthesized by humans and apes, and so it could be that when a tick bites us and introduces the protein into the skin, our immune system's natural response is to label it as "foreign" and attack.

This would explain why later exposure to red meat, which possesses a variation of alpha-gal, can cause an immune reaction.

An immune memory against alpha-gal may also have a protective effect as people previously exposed to the molecule are less likely to get malaria, a mosquito-borne disease, indicating that other insects could carry alpha-gal in their bites.

Whether the tick saliva allergen is alpha-gal or something else, knowing the culprit can lead to the production of an anti-venom-like product that minimizes the bite immune response.

Another strategy would be to create a vaccine that could numb the immune system to the presence of what is causing the allergy.