Definition
Tick paralysis is a loss of muscle function that results from a tick bite.
Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
Hard- and soft-bodied female ticks are believed to make a poison that can cause paralysis in children. Ticks attach to the skin to feed on blood. It is during this feeding process that the toxin enters the bloodstream.
The paralysis is ascending — that means it starts in the lower body and moves up. It is similar to that seen in Guillain-Barre syndrome and opposite that seen in botulism and paralytic shellfish poisoning
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Tick paralysis: Overview, Causes
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Tick paralysis: Symptoms & Signs, Diagnosis & Tests
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Tick paralysis: Treatment
Review Date : 5/12/2009
Reviewed By : Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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