Relapsing Fever Tick is a photograph by Sinclair Stammers which was uploaded on May 8th, 2013.
Relapsing Fever Tick
Relapsing fever tick. Macrophotograph of a relapsing fever tick (Ornithodorus moubata) feeding on human blood. This soft-bodied tick is a parasite of... more
Title
Relapsing Fever Tick
Artist
Sinclair Stammers
Medium
Photograph
Description
Relapsing fever tick. Macrophotograph of a relapsing fever tick (Ornithodorus moubata) feeding on human blood. This soft-bodied tick is a parasite of humans, piercing the skin with its mouthparts and swelling as it gorges itself on the host's blood. It acts as a vector for the spirochaete bacterium Borrelia recurrentis, which causes relapsing fever in humans. Infection with the bacterium results in recurrent episodes of fever and septicaemia (tissue destruction), separated by periods without symptoms. Magnification unknown.
Uploaded
May 8th, 2013