Bloodsucking Ticks Make Cement to Attach to Your Skin
National Geographic, January 19, 2018
by Joshua Rapp Learn
Bloodsucking parasites that can carry deadly diseases create their own cement to glue themselves to our bodies, a new study says.
Hard ticks—a family of 700 species that includes the Lyme-spreading deer tick—use pincer-like appendages and mouths to attach to a host’s skin. But sometimes this grip isn’t strong enough for the arachnid to hold on and feed while the host moves.
Sylvia Nürnberger and colleagues discovered hard ticks have an extra tool to glom onto their hosts’ skin—a kind of glue made of proteins in their saliva. READ MORE.
Nature is full of survival techniques, and any serious Infectious Disease scientist and practitioner must acknowledge this and equip themselves with as much knowledge as possible. It is also essential that this study be done with an inquisitive, curious, and open-mind. After all, isn’t medicine a product of science and art?
It is difficult to understand why medical practitioners spend so much energy and time denying Lyme and other tick-borne illnesses when the evidence is so blatant and loud. How long will it take for Infectious Disease experts and other practitioners to take this seriously and respectfully? How many patients and their loved ones must suffer without being acknowledged? How long will it take?
Dear Felipa, This is happening because we are ALLOWING this to happen! We spend money on “research”, “working committees” etc., rather than treating TBDs. This has gone on for years and will continue to go on for years! I am constantly asked, if TBDs are so bad, so wide spread why aren’t they advertised? People do not know that Medicare, Medicaid, and other insurance plans do not pay for treatment, until they or a loved one is denied! How often have you heard about Tick Borne Diseases on the media? ZIKA is “out there”. When I went to an Urgent Care, I was asked about ZIKA, NOT about TBDs! Diagnosed with upper resp. infection. In the middle of NE Pennsylvania, not ONE question about a tick! NOT even when I was rushed to an ER! I had to bring their attention to my rash (bull’s eye) and was still diagnosed with “possible Lyme”. I am totally frustrated and angry with the way we are treated!
Yes, it’s more than frustrating. It is criminally negligent and denial of proper medical care. My daughter died after 12 years of battling Lyme and Babesia and many associated complications due to advanced diseases at diagnosis and delay in proper treatment.
My Mother also died from improper treatment of TBDs. I have her exact symptoms for last 2 1/2 years. She was bitten in 1999 and died in 2006. My nephew was bitten in 2007, has been in and out of hospital and is still suffering. This entire situation is DISGUSTING! Waiting for a class action law suit (as the one in Texas) that I can join. Figure on maybe five more years of life?