Child Infestation with the Hard Tick Haemophysalis flava (Acarina : Ixodidae) Found in Okayama, Japan (Case Report and Bibliographical Review)
A case and bibliographical review of child infestation with the hard ticks are reported. On December 4th, 1984, the tick bite was found on the skin surface of temporal region behind the right ear of a 2-year-old boy living in Okayama, Japan. The collected tick body (ideosoma) measured about 5.0 mm in length and 4.0 mm in maximum width not counting capitulum. By the acarological observation, the tick was identified as an adult female of Haemophysalis flava Neumann, 1897 based on morphology of scutum, coxae, internal spurs and spiracular plates. In this case, the tick infestation occurred when the boy was playing on the grass, and it seems to be a unique case because the victim was quite young and the incidence happened in less common winter season. To our best knowledge, this report is the third human case infested with hard tick in Okayama Prefecture, Japan. Details with bibliographical data are reported.
