The paralysis tick, Ixodes holocyclus, is one of about 75 species of Australian tick fauna and is considered the most medically important. It is found in a 20-kilometre band that follows the eastern coastline of Australia. As this is where most people live, encounters by people and their pets with these parasites are relatively common. Although most cases of tick bite are uneventful, some can result in fatal illnesses including paralysis, tick typhus and severe allergic reactions. The tick's paralysing toxin has been estimated to affect as many as 100,000 domestic animals annually, with up to 10,000 companion animals being referred to veterinary surgeons for treatment.

External links

• Tick alert support group
• University of Sydney Department of Medical Entomology: about ticks

Acari | Parasites