Tick Bite Prophylaxis
Should you take medication to prevent Lyme Disease
So, you found a tick on you? As most know, the concern about ticks is that they can cause many diseases, most significantly and commonly, Lyme Disease.
Like many things, there is much debate on how to remove a tick, what to do if you’re bitten, and if and when you need to be treated for Lyme disease. Let’s discuss a few of those things here.
How do I remove a tick if I am bitten?
According to the CDC , these are the steps to remove a tick.
- Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible.
- Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don’t twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you are unable to remove the mouth easily with clean tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.
- After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub, or soap and water.
- Dispose of a live tick by submersing it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag/container, wrapping it tightly in tape, or flushing it down the toilet. Never crush a tick with your fingers.
Avoid folklore remedies such as “painting” the tick with nail polish or petroleum jelly, or using heat to make the tick detach from the skin. Your goal is to remove the tick as quickly as possible–not waiting for it to detach.
How do I know what ticks cause what sickness?
There are a myriad of tick borne diseases. This link includes a great reference for maps LINK to showing where certain ticks are found as well as a picture of the ticks. Often ticks are very small and in early stages where it is very difficult, especially with the naked eye to identify what kind of tick it is.
Should I be treated for tick borne illness just in case?
According to the CDC and the most recent guidelines released by the Infectious Disease Society of America, prophylactic treatment is recommended in the following cases.
1-If the tick is a black legged tick.
2-If the tick has been attached for 36 hours or more.
3-If the treatment can be started with 72 hours of the bite occurring.
4-If the patient does not have a contraindication to taking Doxycycline.
What if I don’t know the answer to the questions above?
More often than not, patients cannot answer any or all of the above questions. First of all, it is hard to identify ticks, especially with the naked eye. Second, many people have no clue how long the tick was attached. In my opinion, prophylactic treatment never hurts. Doxycycline is an inexpensive, simple and safe treatment, especially in a single dose. Tick borne illnesses can be serious and deadly.
How much and which medication is given for Lyme Prophylaxis?
The recommended medication and dose is Doxycycline pills 200mg as a single dose within 72 hours of the tick bite.
Can I just wait and see?
Of course, that is always a choice. However, many tick borne illnesses like Lyme disease do not show severe symptoms until up to years later.
What about testing the tick?
This is not commonly done in medical laboratories. However, there are commercially available test kits where patients can mail in their tick to a laboratory and receive validation if the tick carried Lyme Disease within 3-7 days. The most widely available of these kits is marketed by Cutter, and the Cutter Lyme Disease Tick Test is available online for about $35.
What about blood tests?
Blood tests, often take more than a week, and may show a false negative or positive. Plus they are often quite expensive, making antibiotic prophylaxis a more timely response than blood testing. However, if a patient wants to avoid antibiotics, blood testing is always an option.
I hope this article is helpful for you to consider options when you or a loved one finds a tick on them. It never hurts to keep the tick for a few weeks either way, and see a medical professional if you think prophylactic antibiotics are an option for you. Share this article with your friends or family and bookmark it for the future.
