Tick paralysis

Tick paralysis is a type of paralysis caused by specific types of ticks reported mostly from the Americas, Asia, and Australia. Unlike other tick-borne diseases, the illness is caused by a neurotoxin produced in the tick's salivary gland. After prolonged attachment, the engorged tick transmits the toxin to its host, causing an ascending paralysis resembling Guillain-Barre syndrome. People can experience severe respiratory distress (similar to anaphylaxis). The incidence of tick paralysis is unknown. The diagnosis is entirely clinical, and treatment after tick removal is supportive.