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Drowning with persistent hypoxia — ACEM Fellowship MCQ

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HardEnvironmental emergenciesDrowning with persistent hypoxiaACEM Fellowship

A patient presents with an attached tick after bushwalking. She has no current allergic symptoms but previously had a large local reaction to a tick bite. Which removal method is most appropriate?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

Reveal the answer and explanation

Correct answer: E — Kill with ether spray, then brush away

Explanation lettering: E = shown as A · D = shown as B · A = shown as C · C = shown as D · B = shown as E

B is correct. NSW guidance recommends killing a confirmed attached tick using ether-containing spray or permethrin and then brushing it off. The other methods can cause injury or provoke additional allergen exposure.

Reference: NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation: Tick bites clinical tool: https://aci.health.nsw.gov.au/networks/eci/clinical/tools/tick-bites