07/15/2025
We asked WMA International’s Curriculum Director, Julie Anderson, and Lead Instructor, Eric Duffy, to assess and treat the patient. This is what they had to say:
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This is a serious problem, even if you’re not certain what it is. If we consider the principle of approaching problems from “generic to specific,” we see that there are signs of a local spreading infection (redness, warmth, swelling) and signs of a concerning systemic infection (fever, subdued personality). Either way, this case has progressed to require treatment beyond what we can provide in the field. If it’s a systemic infection, or a tick-borne illness (in this case, disseminated Lyme Disease from an embedded Deer Tick is the most concerning tick-borne illness that is consistent with this presentation), treatment with selective antibiotics will be much more effective the earlier they are given. Getting out sooner will make a difference in their care and success in the long run.
One of the most important parts of care is to remove the entire offending tick (and any others) and perform wound cleaning. Use fine-edge tweezers to get under the head and mouthparts of the tick, deliberately pulling out the entire tick without squeezing its body. Home remedies like petroleum jelly, burnt match ends, and nail polish don’t remove the tick or its contaminated mouthparts.
Tick identification can help with some problem-solving. Keep in mind that there are many types of ticks out there, and their endemic ranges are growing. This is a reminder to approach your problem-solving with a “big net.” There are many tick-borne diseases to consider in addition to Lyme Disease. STARI (Southern Tick-Associated Rash Illness), spread by the Lone-Star tick mimics many symptoms of Lyme.
And of course, people travel from one region to another, perhaps unaware of their parasitic tagalong. One of our instructors treated a case of advanced Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in rural Alaska.
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How did your assessment and plan line up? Leave a comment below letting us know how it went for you ⬇️ Check back in for more Case Studies via our monthly newsletters for future continuing education content!
