Biological Features of Ticks, Tick Borne Diseases and Epidemiological Data in Turkey

Ticks are blood-sucking ectoparasites that act as vectors for rickettsial, spirochetal, bacterial and parasitic infections. Tick-borne diseases continue to cause severe illness and death in otherwise healthy adults and children. Early signs and symptoms of these illnesses often mimic a benign or nonspecific viral illness, making diagnosis difficult. This difficult diagnostic dilemma warrants an understanding of ticks, their habitats, symptoms of illnesses and immediate treatment to ameliorate the severity and fatalities caused by these diseases. In the event that a patient presents with tick bite, it is important to remove and identify the type of tick and determine the classification for proper treatment.