Watch out for those ticks, they could also transmit infections!

One of the biggest headaches for livestock farmers are ticks because of the diseases they transmit. Ticks spread vector-borne diseases some of which are zoonotic (can be spread from animals to humans).

Today, I will explore basic physiological information about ticks, the diseases they transmit from livestock to humans and how to control and manage that problem.

Ticks are members of the Arthropoda group (phyla) of animal parasites and there are two types of ticks that are vectors for human disease — hard ticks and soft ticks.

Through their saliva, ticks can carry bacteria, viruses and protozoa as pathogens for human disease. When a tick takes a blood meal (after biting an animal) it attaches to one’s skin using a mouthpiece called a hypostoma.

Once attached, there are alternating periods of sucking blood and salivation, with regurgitation occurring frequently. The periods of salivation allow the pathogens to enter the body and infect the host.

Most farmers and herders, when they spot ticks on their animals, they are more concerned about the disease-risk these vectors pose to their flock.

They are least concerned when they are bitten by the same ticks because they are not aware that the same vectors can also transmit diseases to humans. Diseases transmitted by ticks from livestock to humans are serious and can be fatal.

Many a times such infections manifest as malaria further confusing the treatment regimen. The following are some of the diseases that can be transmitted by ticks to humans:

Q-fever: This disease can be acute or chronic and is caused by a bacteria called Coxiella burnetii. It only takes a few bites for one to get the infection.

For acute Q-fever, the symptoms include high fevers, severe headache general malaise, myalgia chills and/or sweats, non-productive cough, nausea vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and chest pain.

Anaplasmosis: This is a disease caused by the bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilium. This pathogen is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected tick and specifically the black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis). The symptoms in humans include: fever, headache, muscle pain, malaise, chills, nausea/abdominal pain, cough, confusion and rashes.

Ehrlichiosis: Ehrlichiosis is a term used to describe several bacterial diseases that affect animals and humans. Human ehrlichiosisis a disease caused by at least three different ehrlichial species — Ehrlichia chaffeensis, Ehrlichia ewingii, and Ehrlichia muris-like.

Symptoms include all those of Anaplasmosis plus conjunctival injection (red eyes) and Rash

Lyme disease: In the early stages of Lyme disease, one may experience flu-like symptoms that include a stiff neck, chills, fever, swollen lymph nodes, headaches, fatigue, muscle aches and joint pain. The patient may also experience a large, expanding skin rash around the area of the tick bite. In more advanced disease, nerve problems and arthritis, especially in the knees, may occur.

Tularemia: This is an infection caused by the Gram-negative bacteria. Francisella tularensis Tularemia is one of several tick-borne diseases and can be spread by many species of ticks, including Dermacentor variabilis and Amblyomma americana.

Tularemia causes fever, fatigue, aches and headache. Swollen lymph nodes are common. The organism may spread widely, causing major organs to fail. Pneumonia is common after inhalation but may also occur when the organism spreads throughout the body.

African Tick Bite Fever:

People with African Tick Bite Fever almost always present with general symptoms such as a fever, headache, nausea, malaise, vomiting, and abdominal pain.

However, serious complication can occur rarely. Damage to the epithelial cells can occur due to the bacteria replicating within those cells.

These are some of the common diseases that can be spread by ticks to humans.

Diagnosis of these diseases is always a problem given the common clinical signs they share with other common diseases like malaria and typhoid fever.

With lack of proper diagnosis many of these diseases may be present and go undetected.

At the same time, treatment of these diseases depends on the nature and stage of the infection.

The best way to avoid transmitting them is to limit contact between you the farmer and the infected tick.

Here are a few measures to control ticks in humans:

Tick bites are usually painless, because the vectors are tiny and in many instances one may not be aware that they have been bitten.

With that in mind, when dealing with livestock that are infected with ticks, always wear light coloured clothes, long sleeves and trousers. Long loose hair should be covered, braided or tied when venturing into areas where ticks are prevalent.

When from handling animals with tick infestation, when you go back to the house, remove the clothes you had on and dip them into hot water to kill the vectors.

After handling suspect animals, it is also important to do a thorough tick check, take a shower and wash your hair.

Keep pets that have outside exposure off furniture especially bedding.

Ticks should be removed promptly. The longer it is attached the higher the chance of disease transmission.

And when removing ticks from animals, always do it carefully to prevent disease transmission: Here are a few strategies

1. Using fine pointed forceps, grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible without squeezing the tick’s body.

2.Firmly pull it straight out.

3. Never squeeze the tick, burn it, or cover it with solid oil or any other substance.

4. Remember to disinfect the site of the bite, wash your hands and disinfect your forceps.

To minimise tick infestation on your property, here are a few simple and helpful measures you can take:

1.Create tick free zones around your home by cutting back wooded areas and increasing the size of open lawn.

2. Keep grass mowed to three inches or less. This lowers humidity at ground level, making it difficult for ticks to survive.

3. Place play areas in sunshine.

4. Always bury leaf litter, moist plant litter, weeds and other debris that attract ticks.

5. Eliminate dense plant beds close to your home.

6. Create borders (pebbles, cedar chips) to separate your lawn from the wooded area

7. Keep garbage in tightly closed cans and don’t leave pet food outside or purposely attract and feed wild animals.

The writer is a veterinarian doctor who runs One health Centre, which creates awareness on diseases