Tick-borne Diseases

Course overview

Ticks feast on the blood of specific host animals and humans. During the time they feed, they can transmit bacteria, viruses, or parasites to their host. These bacteria, viruses, or parasites may lead to illness and disease in humans and domestic animals. The detection and prevention of tick-transmitted diseases are important health and safety concerns. Knowledge about the types of ticks, their habitats, and the diseases they can transmit are essential to an effective detection and prevention approach to tick-transmitted diseases. If a tick does attach to a host, the proper removal of the tick, diagnosis of a tick-transmitted disease, and the treatment of the disease are necessary for effective healthcare and positive patient outcomes.