Ticks are ectoparasites which live by haematophagy on the blood of mammals, birds and sometimes reptiles and amphibians. Ticks are of considerable veterinary importance, particularly in warmer climates where they can cause substantial economic losses through decreased productivity and most importantly by disease transmission. They are also important in human medicine as they cause [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyme_disease Lyme Disease] (borreliosis) and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tick-borne_meningoencephalitis tick-borne encephalitis/meningoencephalitis]. | Ticks are ectoparasites which live by haematophagy on the blood of mammals, birds and sometimes reptiles and amphibians. Ticks are of considerable veterinary importance, particularly in warmer climates where they can cause substantial economic losses through decreased productivity and most importantly by disease transmission. They are also important in human medicine as they cause [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyme_disease Lyme Disease] (borreliosis) and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tick-borne_meningoencephalitis tick-borne encephalitis/meningoencephalitis]. |