Ticks spread four diseases in humans

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Northwest Herald Online

Crystal Lake IL

September 20, 2004

Ticks spread four diseases in humans

Dear Dr. Gott: What is HGE and how can I avoid getting it?

Dear Reader: Deer ticks spread at least four bacterial diseases: Lyme

disease, human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE), babesiosis and Rocky Mountain

spotted

fever.

The first disorder – initially detected in residents of Lyme, Conn. – causes

a plethora of symptoms, including fever, rash, muscle aches, malaise – in

short, an illness resembling flu, with which is has been confused for decades.

Without treatment, Lyme disease often progresses to arthritis and chronic

inflammation of many of the body's organs, such as the brain and heart.

The second disorder, HGE, mimics Lyme disease, except that no rash is

present. Common complaints are fever, chills, cough, nausea and vomiting.

Without

therapy, the disease can be fatal. HGE is also very similar to human monocytic

ehrlichiosis, which is common in the South and Southeastern United States, and

is transmitted through the bite of the Lone Star tick.

Babesiosis causes liver damage and a low white blood cell count. It is

diagnosed with blood tests and is curable, as are other tick-borne diseases,

with

antibiotics.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever is prevalent in Western states. It, too, can be

cured by antibiotics. The disease is marked by a distinctive rash and symptoms

of infection.

These diseases are suspected in people who live in endemic areas and who show

signs of flu (which is exceedingly rare during the summer months). The

afflictions are diagnosed by blood tests. Treatment includes antibiotics,

principally doxycycline.

To avoid tick-borne disease, people must wear protective clothing (with or

without tick repellent) when working or walking outdoors; in addition, experts

recommend a meticulous examination for ticks at day's end. This may be a

daunting task, because deer ticks may be no larger than the period at the end of

this sentence.

Nonetheless, any ticks that are found either wandering or embedded should be

gently removed; in order to transmit Lyme disease or HGE, a tick must feed for

at least 24 hours. Therefore, a tick-check is an effective preventive

measure.

Symptoms of " summer flu " – especially if they follow a tick bite within seven

to 21 days -- should be brought to a doctor's attention, because early

treatment with antibiotics is usually curative and will prevent the serious

complications that can follow tick-borne diseases.