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Tick paralysis - Overview

Definition of Tick paralysis:

Tick paralysis is a loss of muscle function that results from a tick bite.

Causes, incidence, and 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.

Reviewed last on: 5/22/2007
Joseph V. Campellone, M.D., Division of Neurology, Cooper University Hospital, Camden, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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Tick paralysis - Overview

Definition of Tick paralysis:

Causes, incidence, and risk factors: