Tick anaphylaxis triggered by pulling out the tick

The risk of anaphylaxis on holidays

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The goal of this review is to summarize the potential causes of anaphylaxis in the different holiday contexts, providing practical suggestions aimed to mitigate the stress challenged by allergic patients because of unfamiliar situations.

RECENT FINDINGS

A regard was reserved to potential food triggers, particularly uncommon ones and typical of certain destinations, and to arthropods responsible for anaphylaxis.

SUMMARY

This review highlights the potential risk of anaphylaxis due to the unusual contexts more experienced during holidays (i.e., travels, outdoor activities and eating out). Moreover, it underlines the need for a further allergological education in these cases, in order to prepare allergic patients to avoid and manage undesired situations.

100 Million-year-old straight-jawed lacewing larvae with enormously inflated trunks represent the oldest cases of extreme physogastry in insects

Physogastry is a phenomenon occurring in Euarthropoda and describes an extreme inflation of (parts of) the trunk. It is best known from ticks, termite queens, or honey-pot ants, but can also be found in several other representatives of Euarthropoda. Physogastry has so far rarely been seen in the fossil record. We describe here an example of physogastry in two lacewing larvae (Neuroptera) enclosed in a single piece of Kachin amber (ca. 100 Ma old). We measured head and trunk ratios of different physogastric and non-physogastric representatives of Euarthropoda. Plotting these ratios shows that the new larvae, which display quite extremely inflated trunks, are very similar to ticks or honey-pot ants, but also to certain lacewing larvae of the group Berothidae (beaded lacewings). Outline analysis of head capsule and mouthparts (stylets) further suggests a position within Berothidae. Physogastry is presumed to be linked with living in confined spaces such as wood galleries or soil. Indeed, at least some larvae of Berothidae are known to live inside termite nests for part of their larval life phase, a habit the new larvae may also have had. The new record represents the oldest case of extreme physogastry in insects known to date.

Recent Progress on Tick-Borne Animal Diseases of Veterinary and Public Health Significance in China

Ticks and tick-borne diseases pose a growing threat to human and animal health, which has brought great losses to livestock production. With the continuous expansion of human activities and the development of natural resources, there are more and more opportunities for humans to contract ticks and tick-borne pathogens. Therefore, research on ticks and tick-borne diseases is of great significance. This paper reviews recent progress on tick-borne bacterial diseases, viral diseases, and parasitic diseases in China, which provides a theoretical foundation for the research of tick-borne diseases.

Tick bites in Japan

Ticks are blood-sucking ectoparasites belonging to the order Acarina, class Arachnida. In Japan, eight genera and 46 species are known. Tick bite patients frequently present to dermatology clinics. The main causative species of human tick bites are Ixodes persulcatus and Ixodes ovatus in northern to central Japan, and Amblyomma testudinarium and Haemaphysalis longicornis in western Japan. Tick bites often occur from April to September, particularly in May through July, consistent with the active period for ticks. Although erythema usually does not develop at the tick bite site, a small area of erythema may be seen in some cases. Occasionally, an erythema larger than 50 mm in diameter are formed at the bite site, known as tick-associated rash illness. It is thought that the erythema is a delayed-type allergic reaction to the substances in tick saliva. Repeated tick bites induce immunoglobulin E production against galactose-1,3-α-galactose, one of the substances in tick saliva, which may trigger an immediate allergic reaction. The most reliable method to remove a tick sucking blood is en bloc resection of the tick and surrounding skin under local anesthesia. Insect repellent spray containing icaridin or DEET are effective to prevent ticks from attaching and tick-borne infections. It is important to educate not only dermatologists but also the general public regarding tick bites.

Delayed urticaria or anaphylaxis after consumption of red meat with evidence of alpha-gal sensitisation

Food allergies to red meat, specifically to galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose (alpha-gal), a mammalian oligosaccharide, are considered to be very rare, especially in Asia and Latin America. Most of the cases reported are characterised by symptoms of delayed urticaria or anaphylaxis after the consumption of red meat. Sensitisation to red meat has been linked to the use of cetuximab or tick bites, especially from the Amblyomma americanum and Ixodes spp species. Here, we documented a case study from a Colombian male patient with symptoms of delayed urticaria and anaphylaxis with a history of tick bites in Colombia. The patient presented with IgE antibodies specific to alpha-gal, which is the most common epitope linked to red meat allergy induced by tick bites.