Ann Dermatol.  2016 Dec;28(6):762-764. 10.5021/ad.2016.28.6.762.

Tick Bite by Nymphal Amblyomma testudinarium

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Dermatology, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea. jylee@catholic.ac.kr

Abstract

Ticks are parasites that usually suck the blood of wild or domestic animals; rarely, they ingest human blood and spread various febrile infectious diseases along with skin problems. Out of 40 cases of tick bite reported in Korea, only 3 were caused by nymphal ticks, and tick bites by nymphal Amblyomma testudinarium have not been reported previously. Herein, we report a rare case of tick bite by nymphal A. testudinarium. A 57-year-old woman presented with an asymptomatic solitary erythematous nodule on the left thigh that had been present for 6 days. The tick, which the patient removed from the lesion and brought to the hospital, was identified as a nymphal A. testudinarium. Doxycycline (200 mg) was used as treatment, and after seven days of use, the patient improved and no other lesions were detected.

Keyword

Amblyomma testudinarium; Nymph; Tick bites

MeSH Terms

Animals, Domestic
Communicable Diseases
Doxycycline
Female
Humans
Korea
Middle Aged
Nymph
Parasites
Skin
Thigh
Tick Bites*
Ticks*
Doxycycline

Figure

  • Fig. 1 A solitary erythematous nodule on the left thigh.

  • Fig. 2 Dermoscopic finding of nymphal Amblyomma testudinarium. (A) Dorsal side, (B) ventral side.

  • Fig. 3 Optical microscopic finding of nymphal Amblyomma testudinarium. (A) ×40, (B) ×100.


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