Tick
Tick
Tick (/tɪk/), from the Old English ticca, is a small arachnid in the order Ixodida that is parasitic on mammals, birds, and sometimes reptiles and amphibians.
Etymology
The word "tick" is derived from the Old English ticca. The exact origin of the word is unknown, but it is believed to have been used in reference to the distinctive ticking sound that some species of ticks make.
Description
Ticks are ectoparasites, living by feeding on the blood of mammals, birds, and sometimes reptiles and amphibians. Ticks are vectors of a number of diseases, including Lyme disease, Q fever, Colorado tick fever, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, African tick bite fever, Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever, Tularemia, Tick-borne relapsing fever, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, and Tick-borne meningoencephalitis, as well as anaplasmosis, Theileriosis, and Cytauxzoonosis.
Life Cycle
Ticks have four life stages: egg, larva, nymph, and adult. After the egg hatches, each stage of life requires a blood meal to survive and move on to the next stage.
Prevention and Removal
Prevention of tick bites includes using insect repellents, wearing light-colored clothing to make the ticks more visible, and checking the body regularly for ticks. If a tick is found, it should be removed as soon as possible to reduce the chance of disease transmission.
Related Terms
- Ixodida: The taxonomic order to which ticks belong.
- Ectoparasite: An organism that lives on the outside of its host and feeds off of it.
- Vector (epidemiology): An organism that does not cause disease itself but spreads infection by conveying pathogens from one host to another.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Tick
- Wikipedia's article - Tick
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