When it comes to tick-borne diseases, what many people don’t realize is that there are hundreds of different species of ticks. While there are about 900 different types of ticks around the world, there are only a few that bite and transmit diseases to humans.
Most ticks fall into two main families or categories: soft ticks and hard ticks. When you compare soft ticks vs. hard ticks, you’ll find quite a few distinct differences. They are anatomically different, have different behavioral patterns, and – most importantly – carry different diseases.
Considering the impact that tick-borne diseases have on public health, it’s vital to know and understand the differences between soft ticks vs hard ticks.
What are soft ticks?
Soft ticks, like hard ticks, are classified as arachnids, which are arthropods with eight legs. Similarly, both types of ticks feed on the blood of mammals, which includes humans as well as pets and livestock.
Soft ticks belong to the family Argasidae, its genera being Antricola, Argas, Nothoaspis, Ornithodoros, and Otobius. These species are anatomically different from hard ticks: while hard ticks have a hard outer shield or black plate known as a scutum, soft ticks do not. Soft ticks appear to have a more wrinkled looking body, with mouth parts located on the underside of their body. Male and female soft ticks tend to be about the same size, unlike with hard ticks, in which case females are usually larger.
Soft ticks also have distinct behavioral patterns. These ticks thrive in hot and dry environments and are most commonly found in the western United States. They tend to live in dens, caves, and animal burrows, as well as broken down human dwellings like beneath floorboards or between walls. Though it is not impossible, you’re not likely to encounter soft ticks in natural vegetation.
When compared to hard ticks, soft ticks feed on their hosts quickly, detach, and come back later to feed again. Because of this, they can transmit disease in 15 minutes or less. They tend to search for food at night.
What diseases do soft ticks spread?
While hard ticks can carry a number of diseases, soft ticks are only widely associated with one – Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever, also known as TBRF or Relapsing Fever Borreliosis. The soft ticks that transmit TBRF belong to the genus Ornithodoros.
TBRF can present itself very similarly to Lyme disease. However, it is caused by a related but distinct group of Borrelia bacteria. Because of this, TBRF will not show up on a Lyme disease test, which can make diagnosis difficult if the patient or doctor does not consider also testing for TBRF.
These are the main symptoms associated with Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever:
- Recurring fevers – however, note that not all patients experience this
- Abdominal pain and vomiting
- Neck stiffness and joint stiffness (arthralgia)
- Muscle aches and pains (myalgia)
- Nosebleeds, known as epistaxis
- Symptoms similar to Lyme disease such as headache, fatigue, fever, disorientation or memory loss
- More acute cases may experience acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)
Like Lyme, TBRF is treatable and can resolve with antibiotics if caught early on. However, also like Lyme, symptoms can worsen and lead to complications the longer the disease goes untreated.
Soft ticks vs. hard ticks
As we mentioned, soft ticks and hard ticks have distinct anatomical and behavioral characteristics. The main difference is that hard ticks – belonging to the family Ixodidae – have a hard outer shell, while soft ticks do not. Another difference is hard ticks’ mouthparts are visible from above while soft ticks’ aren’t. Most importantly, soft ticks feed more quickly and can transmit disease in just 15 minutes.
The two types of ticks have distinct reproductive patterns and life spans as well. Hard ticks live from two months to three years, while soft ticks can live up to 16 years. Hard ticks are much more likely to spread disease to humans than soft ticks, partly because there are many more types of hard ticks, and they carry a wider array of disease-causing bacteria than soft ticks.
While soft ticks are primarily associated with Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever, hard ticks can give humans Lyme disease, Ehrlichiosis and Anaplasmosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and more.
A note on hard tick TBRF:
There is also one type of Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever – caused by the relapsing fever Borrelia species B. miyamotoi – that has been found in the same hard ticks that transmit Lyme disease. Note that B. miyamotoi can be transmitted from the adult female tick to her eggs. This is called transovarial transmission. It means that baby ticks can be infected with B. miyamotoi from the get-go. In contrast, blacklegged ticks don’t start out being infected with Lyme. They must acquire the infection by feeding on an animal that carries it—such as a mouse or squirrel.
Unfortunately, Borrelia miyamotoi disease (BMD) is not reportable to the CDC.
Avoiding soft ticks and preventing disease
The best way to avoid tick bites is to wear protective clothing when going into a known tick habitat. For soft ticks, this typically means rustic, broken-down or rodent-infested cabins, as well as animal dens, burrows, and caves. Protective clothing includes long sleeves and long socks tucked into your pants. It’s also important to use an insect repellent that contains DEET and lemon/eucalyptus oil. You can also treat your clothes with permethrin based products.
Do a full body check on you and your pets when you get home. If you do find a tick on you, try to identify what kind of tick it is, and save it for tick testing if possible.
Since soft ticks feed and can transmit disease so fast, you may not even feel or remember having a tick on you. This is why it’s vital to seek out testing from a reputable lab ASAP if you start to notice any of the symptoms of TBRF discussed previously.
Soft ticks and testing options
While you are less likely to encounter and be bit by a soft tick than a hard tick, the diseases they carry are just as harmful. Your best bet for preventing and treating tick-borne diseases is to stay educated on how to identify, prevent, and remove ticks – especially if you’re in an area where they’re commonly found.
If a tick bite does happen, most diseases can be treated when found early. Your first step towards treatment is getting proper testing for tick-borne diseases, which you can find through IGeneX.