In Australia there are approximately 70 species of tick and they are often encountered in theAustralian bush. Ticks can be divided into two families, the soft ticks (family, Argasidae) and the hard ticks (family, Ixodidae). The soft ticks have a wrinkled appearance and only a few species arefound in Australia. Most of the ticks found in Australia are hard ticks. These have a hard dorsal plate and elongated mouth parts that have rows of backward pointing teeth.

.....Another prevalent tick species, is the kangaroo tick (Amblyomma triguttatum), which is found in many areas across drier inland parts of Australia where there is uncleared scrub and high populations of bush kangaroos. Kangaroo ticks will grip onto the skin of kangaroos and can also infest dogs, sheep and other animals, including humans. The bite of the kangaroo tick will cause less severe symptoms than the paralysis tick, although it can cause localized skin lesions.

Prevention & control measures

The best method of controlling and avoiding ticks, is to stay away from tick infested areas. Ticks remain outdoors and do not normally infest houses. People in fringe metropolitan suburbs and the country are most likely to be affected by ticks. To minimize the transmission of ticks, native animals (such as bush kangaroos and bandicoots) should be discouraged and the undergrowth should be reduced in these areas.

If visiting outdoor areas (i.e., bushwalking, camping or picnicking), light coloured clothing should be worn to detect ticks more easily. An insect repellent containing diethyl meta-toluamide (DEET) or dibutylphthalate (DBP) should also be applied or smeared onto clothing and skin before bush walking. In the event of severe tick infestations it may be necessary to apply a pesticide treatment in some areas adjacent to the bush. Registered pesticides which can be used against ticks include fenthion, malathion and pyrethrins.

Children and pets should be examined for ticks after visiting a tick-infested area (e.g. bushland). All clothing should be removed and the body searched for ticks especially behind the ears and on the back of the head.

The tick should be removed as close to the skin’s surface as possible with the aid of a fine pair of forceps using a firm grip. Caution should be taken not to grasp and pull the body of the tick as this can cause the tick to inject more toxin into the host. To minimize this from occurring, a small amount of petroleum jelly or repellent containing DEET can be applied onto the body of the tick to kill it prior to its removal from the skin. Any mouth parts which still remain embedded will eventually slough off. If there are any residual symptoms from the tick bite, it is recommended that a medical practitioner be consulted.