Tick Bites

I had African Tick Fever symptoms which subsided and the bite area is forming a scab after more than a week.  I don't see any ticks.  Is the tick still present and need to be removed by a physician?

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

African tick bite fever manifests as an acute, febrile, and influenzalike illness, frequently accompanied by severe headache, prominent neck muscle myalgia, inoculation eschars (which appear as black crusts surrounded by a red halo at the site of the tick bite. Eschar represents the portal of entry of the infectious agent into the host. It is the site of an intense pathogenic multiplication.

Whether there is complete healing or not can be diagnosed only by biopsy of the eschar. So please get it evaluated from your dermatologist.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.