Anaphylaxis from a Tick Bite

To the Editor: Ticks frequently cause human disease by transmitting infectious agents (protozoa, rickettsia, bacteria, and viruses) or by releasing toxins during feeding that are responsible for reactions ranging from local irritation to paralysis. 1 However, Type I (IgE mediated) hypersensitivity has never been implicated, except in Australia, where the paralysis tick Ixodes holocyclus has been responsible for symptoms ranging from urticaria to anaphylactic shock in sensitized persons. 2 We report here the case of a patient in the United States with a severe allergic reaction to tick bites. A 73-year-old man was evaluated for a history of recurrent anaphylaxis associated with . . .