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Tick toxicosis in a dog bitten by Ornithodoros brasiliensis
Author(s) -
Reck José,
Soares João Fábio,
Termigi Carlos,
Labruna Marcelo B.,
Martins João Ricardo
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
veterinary clinical pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.537
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1939-165X
pISSN - 0275-6382
DOI - 10.1111/j.1939-165x.2011.00338.x
Subject(s) - lethargy , tick , ehrlichiosis , serology , eosinophilia , biology , immunology , tick borne disease , insect bites and stings , lyme disease , medicine , virology , antibody
Ticks are hematophagous parasites of people and animals and are a public health hazard in several countries. They are vectors of infectious diseases; in addition, the bite of some ticks, mainly from the Ornithodoros genus, may lead to local lesions and systemic illness, referred to as tick toxicosis. In this report, we describe a dog bitten by Ornithodoros brasiliensis , popularly known as the mouro tick. The main clinical findings were disseminated skin rash, pruritus, mucosal hyperemia, lethargy, and fever. Laboratory abnormalities 48 hours after the bites occurred included mild nonregenerative anemia, eosinophilia, basophilia, increased serum creatine kinase activity, increased serum C‐reactive protein concentration, and prolonged coagulation times. Tick‐borne pathogens were not detected by PCR analysis or serologic testing, supporting the diagnosis of a noninfectious syndrome due to tick bite, compatible with tick toxicosis.