What can be the consequences of a tick bite?

Introduction

In Germany, two diseases in particular are transmitted by tick bites. One is Lyme disease, which is caused by an infection with the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, and the other is TBE, which is caused by a viral infection. Tick bites often go unnoticed, which is why the diagnosis can often be quite difficult.

Overview of the consequences

Ticks can, if they are infected with certain viruses or bacteria, transmit them to humans. It should be noted that not every tick is infected with one or more pathogens and that these are not transmitted to humans with every bite. The following diseases are possible after a tick bite in Germany: Lyme disease TBE In other countries, ticks can also transmit other pathogens.

  • Joint Lyme disease
  • Neuroborreliosis
  • Acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans Herxheimer
  • Meningitis
  • Inflammation of the brain

Lyme disease

Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne disease in Germany. It is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. The bacterium can be transmitted via the saliva of the tick in case of a tick bite.

Therefore it is important to remove a tick as soon as possible, because the risk of transmission increases with the duration of the bite. Not every tick contains borrelia. In Germany, depending on the stage of development, between one and twenty percent are infected with the bacterium.

The bacteria mainly infect the nervous system, joints and skin. An infection with the bacterium usually first manifests itself with a ring-shaped reddening around the tick bite, which develops a few days to weeks after the bite. This is called itinerant redness.

It can be accompanied by flu-like symptoms, muscle and joint pain or fever. In ten percent of cases, the infection manifests itself with neurological symptoms. It is called early neuroborreliosis.

It is often conspicuous by an inflammation of the facial nerve, which can manifest itself as facial paralysis. It becomes noticeable, for example, by a drooping corner of the mouth or reduced eyelid closure. If the bacteria attack the spinal nerves of the spinal cord, burning pains occur, especially at night.

In many cases, the pain does not improve after taking standard painkillers, which is why the doctor prescribes special medication to relieve the pain. Lyme disease is treated with a two- to three-week course of antibiotics (especially doxycycline). It is important that the antibiotics are taken regularly over the period of time so that the disease can heal completely.

With an adequate treatment Lyme disease heals in an early stage mostly without consequences. An infection with the bacterium usually first manifests itself with a ring-shaped reddening around the tick bite, which develops a few days to weeks after the bite. It is called itinerant redness.

It can be accompanied by flu-like symptoms, muscle and joint pain or fever. In ten percent of cases, the infection manifests itself with neurological symptoms. It is called early neuroborreliosis.

It is often conspicuous by an inflammation of the facial nerve, which can manifest itself as facial paralysis. It becomes noticeable, for example, by a drooping corner of the mouth or reduced eyelid closure. If the bacteria attack the spinal nerves of the spinal cord, burning pains occur, especially at night.

In many cases, the pain does not improve after taking standard painkillers, which is why the doctor prescribes special medication to relieve the pain. Lyme disease is treated with a two- to three-week course of antibiotics (especially doxycycline). It is important that the antibiotics are taken regularly over the period of time so that the disease can heal completely.

With an adequate treatment Lyme disease heals in an early stage mostly without consequences. Lyme disease is treated with antibiotics (especially Doxycyclin) for two to three weeks. It is important that the antibiotics are taken regularly over the period of time so that the disease can heal completely.

With an adequate treatment Lyme disease heals in an early stage mostly without consequences. In technical terms, joint borreliosis is known as Lyme arthritis. It often occurs months to years after an infection with borrelia.It is an intermittent or chronic inflammation of the large joints, such as the hip, knee and shoulder, and is characterized by pain and swelling.

In rare cases it also affects smaller joints. The inflammation damages the joint cartilage, which is why significant pathological changes in the joints are to be expected in the event of a long-term infection. Since the symptoms can be very unspecific and often cannot be traced back to a tick bite due to the time lag, a joint effusion is punctured for diagnosis to see if the genetic material of the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi can be detected.

The treatment for joint borreliosis is the antibiotic doxycycline, which must be taken in tablet form over a period of two to three weeks. Permanent damage is not to be expected if the diagnosis is made promptly and sufficient treatment with antibiotics is given. A distinction is made between early and late neuroborreliosis in a Borrelia infection.

Early neuroborreliosis often manifests itself within a few weeks to months after the transmission of the bacteria by a tick bite. It often manifests itself by paralysis of a facial nerve, resulting in a drooping corner of the mouth and reduced eyelid closure. Late neuroborreliosis manifests itself when the Borrelia infection is long overlooked and the infection can develop insidiously over months to years.

It occurs only very rarely. It is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and manifests itself for example through gait and bladder disorders. It is treated with antibiotics, which are administered through the veins during an inpatient stay.

In the stage of late neuroborreliosis, the disease often does not heal completely and some symptoms may persist permanently. After a tick bite, a skin rash, the so-called wandering redness, may appear after a few days. This is a reddish discoloration of the skin around the tick bite, which slowly fades from the inside out.

If an infection with the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi is not treated sufficiently or if the infection remains unnoticed, long-term consequences on the skin can occur. The disease is called Acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans Herxheimer. This is a chronic disease that can lead to a pronounced tissue loss (skin atrophy).

The skin feels like cigarette paper. Before the tissue loss, there is often extensive inflammation of the trunk and extremities, which appears bluish-reddish. The extensor sides of the legs are particularly affected.

The disease is treated with the administration of antibiotics. If tissue loss has already occurred, the disease will not heal completely. If an infection with the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi is not treated sufficiently or if the infection remains unnoticed, long-term consequences on the skin can occur.

The disease is called Acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans Herxheimer. This is a chronic disease that can lead to a pronounced tissue loss (skin atrophy). The skin feels like cigarette paper.

Before the tissue loss, there is often extensive inflammation of the trunk and extremities, which appears bluish-reddish. The extensor sides of the legs are particularly affected. The disease is treated with the administration of antibiotics. If tissue loss has already occurred, the disease will not heal completely.