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Tweezers most effective for tick detachment

Using tweezers was the most effective technique to remove ticks when compared with three commercial removal devices, according to published study results.

“Transmission of infectious agents by ticks is closely related to blood-sucking time of ticks,” Asli Akin Belli, MD, of the department of dermatology, Mulga Sitki Kocman University Training and Research Hospital, Turkey, and colleagues wrote. “For the prevention of transmission, early and appropriable removal of the attached ticks is of utmost importance.”

The researchers conducted a cross-sectional study of 160 patients admitted between April and June 2010 to the dermatology clinic at the Haseki Training and Research Hospital in Istanbul, Turkey, with a reported tick bite. Patients were reviewed and evenly divided into four tick-detachment technique cohorts. These included tweezers and commercial devices based on freezing (Tickner, Laboratory Tickner AG), lassoing (Trix Ticklasso, Innotech), and card-detachment (Zeckenkarte, SafeCard Aps). The tweezer technique involved grabbing ticks from the mouthparts and pulling them out without twisting.

The number of fully detached, nondetached, and crushed ticks and duration of application were used to evaluate the efficacy of each technique.

There was an 82.5% (33/40 patients) efficacy rate for the removal by tweezers, a 47.5% (19/40) rate for the lassoing technique, a 7.5% (3/40) rate for card detachment and a 0% (0/40) rate for freezing technique. The tweezer technique also had a greater efficacy rate than the other techniques (P < .05).

“For applications carried out by the card-detachment technique, immature ticks in all physiologic situations and newly attached or semi-engorged adult ticks could not be detached, such ticks easily slipped from the aperture of the device,” the researchers wrote.

The lassoing technique could not detach small immature ticks and tightly attached adult ticks, but engorged immature ticks could be removed. The freezing technique crushed all ticks.

Some ticks were crushed while using tweezers; however, most were detached successfully.

“Tick detachment using tweezers performed in the right manner was the easiest and most effective technique based on the results of the study,” the researchers concluded. “After tick detachment, cleaning the bite site with an appropriate antiseptic solution and informing the patient about possible diseases are recommended clinical approaches.” – by Bruce Thiel

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.