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Dermacentor variabilis
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<p><i>Dermacentor variabilis</i>, also known as the American dog tick or wood tick, is a species of <a href="/facts/Tick/LNe33WJf">tick</a> that is known to carry <a href="/facts/Bacteria/wC8xSCsU">bacteria</a> responsible for several diseases in humans, including <a href="/facts/Rocky_Mountain_spotted_fever/YvVk1Mtl">Rocky Mountain spotted fever</a> and <a href="/facts/Tularemia/YGQKDcrW">tularemia</a> (<i>Francisella tularensis</i>). It is one of the best-known <a href="/facts/Ixodidae/IUy8IarH">hard ticks</a>. Diseases are spread when it sucks blood from the host. It may take several days for the host to experience symptoms. </p><p>Though <i>D. variabilis</i> may be exposed to <i><a href="/facts/Borrelia_burgdorferi/sSvh5CyA">Borrelia burgdorferi</a></i>, the causative agent of <a href="/facts/Lyme_disease/820IycaC">Lyme disease</a>, these ticks are not competent <a href="/facts/Vector_(epidemiology)/bepASE2M">vectors</a> for the transmission of this disease. The primary vectors for <i>B. burgdorferi</i> are the deer ticks <i><a href="/facts/Ixodes_scapularis/wdgwNT2R">Ixodes scapularis</a></i> in eastern parts of the United States, <i><a href="/facts/Ixodes_pacificus/bvg1vxEU">Ixodes pacificus</a></i> in California and Oregon, and <i><a href="/facts/Ixodes_ricinus/0HQxdXw4">Ixodes ricinus</a></i> in Europe. <i>D. variabilis</i> may also carry <i><a href="/facts/Anaplasma_phagocytophilum/MvlcurRC">Anaplasma phagocytophilum</a></i>, the causative agent of <a href="/facts/Human_granulocytic_anaplasmosis/NpEvY46r">human granulocytic anaplasmosis</a>, and <i><a href="/facts/Ehrlichia_chaffeensis/m8SVdkf8">Ehrlichia chaffeensis</a></i>, the causative agent of human monocytic <a href="/facts/Ehrlichiosis/ut0RXn3r">ehrlichiosis</a>. </p><p><i>Dermacentor</i> ticks may also induce <a href="/facts/Tick_paralysis/awYk69X9">tick paralysis</a> by elaboration of a <a href="/facts/Neurotoxin/I7nLuFE7">neurotoxin</a> that induces rapidly progressive <a href="/facts/Flaccid_paralysis/wk7Itt4J">flaccid quadriparesis</a> similar to <a href="/facts/Guillain%25E2%2580%2593Barr%25C3%25A9_syndrome/013kC53b">Guillain–Barré syndrome</a>. The neurotoxin prevents presynaptic release of <a href="/facts/Acetylcholine/v1d3wRUd">acetylcholine</a> from <a href="/facts/Neuromuscular_junctions/Rkcqwqht">neuromuscular junctions</a>. </p>