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Medical Author:

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.

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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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The treatment of a given tick exposure will depend on the length of attachment, the type of tick, the tick-borne diseases that have been seen in the community, and the symptoms developed by the person. Specific medical treatment depends on the pathogen(s) transmitted in the tick bite. The following is a brief summary of treatments:

• Local cleansing and antibiotic cream may be applied.
• For itching, the doctor may recommend preparations containing diphenhydramine (Benadryl). Benadryl compounds can be applied directly to the skin for itching or administered orally by tablets.
• Oral antibiotics may be prescribed for some diseases. With more significant symptoms, you may need antibiotics given through an IV and may need to be hospitalized.
• Other treatments may involve more detailed blood tests, fluids and medications given by IV, and admission to the hospital.

For detailed explanations of treatments, the best approach is to determine the diagnosis of the disease transmitted by the tick bite (for example, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease) and then examine the specific treatments used for that disease.

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