Ehrlichiosis is a bacterial infection transmitted by ticks that can cause fever, fatigue, body aches, joint pain, and chills. It is similar to Lyme disease but usually not as severe. The infection is easily cured with antibiotics, but can be serious or fatal for those with weak immune systems. Preventative measures include wearing light clothing and using bug spray. If a tick is found, it should be removed with tweezers as soon as possible.
Ehrlichiosis is a bacterial infection that is transmitted to humans and other animals through tick bites. There are many symptoms of this condition, including fever, intense fatigue, body aches, joint pain, chills, and a general feeling of being unwell. The severity of symptoms varies from person to person. Ehrlichiosis is similar to the more commonly known tick-related Lyme disease, although it is usually not as severe.
This infection is transmitted by bacteria of the genus Ehrlichia that live on some species of ticks. Usually deer ticks, dog ticks and solitary ticks are the vectors that carry the bacteria. Not all individual ticks are infected with the bacteria, so a tick bite doesn’t automatically cause disease. It usually takes 24 to 36 hours for a feeding infected tick to transmit the bacteria to its host.
This condition has only recently been discovered. There are currently two specific diseases transmitted by two different types of bacteria which are conditioned types of this condition. Human monocytic ehrlichiosis is the form that affects white blood cells called monocytes, while human granulocytic ehrlichiosis affects white blood cells called granulocytes.
Symptoms of this condition usually appear about a week after someone has been bitten by an infected tick. However, it is also common for him to have very mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. The only way to definitively diagnose ehrlichiosis is through a blood test. The good news is that this disease is usually resolved by the immune system and does not require medical treatment.
For people who have compromised or weak immune systems, such as very young children, the elderly, or people with autoimmune diseases, ehrlichiosis can become very serious or fatal if left untreated. When the immune system is unable to fight bacteria effectively, the bacteria are able to multiply rapidly and overwhelm the body. However, the infection is easily cured with antibiotics.
Ticks are known to transmit many disease-causing bacteria in addition to ehrlichiosis. Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever are two of the best known diseases, but more and more tick-borne diseases are being discovered every day. Because of the potential risk, it’s a good idea to carefully examine your entire body after being outdoors.
You can also prevent tick bites by using bug spray. Wearing light clothing when you spend time outdoors also helps you more easily spot a tick trying to make its meal for you. Tucking your pants into your socks helps keep ticks from crawling up your pant legs and hiding in hard-to-see areas.
If you find a tick attached to your skin, don’t panic. Remember that it takes 24 to 36 hours to transmit the bacteria that cause this condition, and not all ticks are infected. Calmly remove the tick with tweezers, grasping it as close to the skin as possible. Quickly pull the tick away to avoid breaking its mouthparts which may remain in the skin. If any parts remain, try removing them with tweezers as you would a splinter. It’s a myth that the remaining part of the tick is still alive and will burrow into the skin, but the mouthparts may still contain the bacteria that cause ehrlichiosis.
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