Ornithodoros tholozani bites: A unique clinical picture

The bites of the cave tick Ornithodoros tholozani produce deep red, crusted nodules or papules up to 1.5 cm in diameter with a central puncture. The erythema is surrounded by a dusky violaceous halo. The lesions are not painful, and no systemic reactions have been observed. We describe the clinical features of multiple bites from O. tholozani in six young Israeli men. Only a few patients with these bites have been reported. 1-4