The one tick-borne disease that rarely comes under the auspices of the infectious disease specialist is not caused by an infectious agent, but is tick paralysis. This condition is caused by tick bite and typically presents as a flaccid ascending paralysis. This article discusses this entity partly because of completeness, but also because tick paralysis, or tick toxicosis as it is sometimes called, is worth the infectious disease consultant's consideration. The differential diagnosis includes entities that are infectious or caused by toxins of infectious agents, such as epidural abscess, some causes of transverse myelitis, and botulism. Lastly, in an era of antibiotic toxicity, multidrug-resistant bacteria, antigen-switching viruses, and complex antibiotic regimens, the cure for tick paralysis-removing the tick-is as simple as it is gratifying.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.idc.2008.03.005 | DOI Listing |
Cureus
November 2024
Internal Medicine, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, BRA.
Lyme disease is a prevalent infection in the northern hemisphere, affecting approximately 450,000 new cases annually in the United States and 65,000 in Europe. This illness is spread by the bite of ticks harboring spirochetes and develops in three progressive phases. In the second phase, neurological complications are common, including cranial nerve involvement.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBrain Neurorehabil
November 2024
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yeouido St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Lyme disease is a multisystem infection that can affect the joints, heart, and nervous system when untreated. While it can present with cranial nerve palsy, dysphagia is rarely reported. This case highlights a rare instance of dysphagia in Lyme disease, typically known for neurological symptoms like facial nerve palsy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFClin Microbiol Rev
December 2024
Research Center for Parasites and Vectors, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
SUMMARYTick paralysis is a potentially fatal condition caused by neurotoxins secreted by the salivary glands of certain ticks. Documented cases have been reported worldwide, predominantly in the United States, Canada, and Australia, with additional reports from Europe and Africa. This condition also affects animals, leading to significant economic losses and adverse impacts on animal health and welfare.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEur J Pediatr
December 2024
Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, UMR-CNRS 6249 Chrono-Environment, CHRU Besançon, Université de Franche-Comté, 25000, Besançon, France.
JAMA Intern Med
November 2024
Department of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.
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