Symptoms
Possible symptoms include:
- Fever
- Large, blotchy skin rash, skin bleeding.
- Headache, muscle pain
- Abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, lack of appetite.
- Conjunctivitis
- Vasculitis, hemorrhage, increased blood clotting, blood circulation disorders, encephalitis, organ failure, necrosis.
The disease often leads to severe complications and death. It occurs in the United States, Canada and South America.
Cause
The cause of the disease is infection with the gram-negative and intracellular bacterium . The pathogens are transmitted by ticks when they suck blood, in the United States primarily by and . The bacteria affect the lining of blood vessels (endothelial cells) and smooth muscle cells. This results in damage to the blood vessels, causing edema, hypovolemia, and hypotension. The incubation period ranges from two to fourteen days.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is made under medical care primarily on the basis of patient history, physical examination, clinical picture, and laboratory methods.
Treatment
Antibiotics are used for treatment, particularly the tetracycline doxycycline. Chloramphenicol may be used as a 2nd-line agent.
Prevention
Avoid tick bites in high-risk areas and use repellents.
