I thought I would share this post about ticks

[NIMROD]

Seems like tick related diseases on the rise across the country . Arkansas really is a hotspot .

Tick warning

Guys and gals take precautions in the outdoors , Arkansas is hot spot for tick borne diseases . I got sick about a year and half ago. Only thing they found was Rocky Mtn Spotted fever . I never knew we were in a high incidence state for this . Pico has a tick borne disease and has made him allergic to meat. Lots of information off Arkansas Dept of Health website .

HOMEDISEASES & CONDITIONSDISEASES FROM ANIMALS & INSECTSTICKBORNE DISEASETICKBORNE DISEASES IN ARKANSAS
TICKBORNE DISEASES IN ARKANSAS
RMSF | Ehrlichiosis | Tularemia | Anaplasmosis | Lyme Disease |

STARI | Heartland Virus | Bourbon Virus



Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) is the most common tick-borne disease in Arkansas. RMSF is caused by the bacterium Rickettsia rickettsii. This bacterium is carried mostly by the American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis, but also by the brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus. Not all ticks are infected. It takes an infected tick four to six hours to spread disease after attaching to the host. Adult ticks look for large hosts such as dogs, but they also feed on humans. Ticks are often found in overgrown lots and along weedy roadsides, paths and hiking trails. Most RMSF cases occur between June and August when tick populations and outdoor activities are highest. Half of all people with RMSF do not remember being bitten by a tick.

RMSF Symptoms and Treatment
Symptoms of RMSF generally appear suddenly, about one week after an infected tick bite. However, there may be symptoms any time between 2 and 14 days after a bite.
Symptoms can include:
High fever
Headache
Muscle pain
Non-itchy, pink rash usually starting on the wrists, forearms and ankles
It is important to get medical care as soon as possible if you think you have RMSF. Blood tests are required to diagnose RMSF, but treatment should begin as soon as symptoms and/or recent tick exposure suggest RMSF.



Ehrlichiosis
Ehrlichiosis is the name used to describe several bacterial diseases that affect animals and humans. Human ehrlichiosis (formerly called human monocytic ehrlichiosis or HME) is caused by Ehrlichia chaffeensis (first recognized in 1986 from a patient infected at Fort Chaffee, AR) and Ehrlichia ewingii. Ehrlichiosis and Anaplasmosis have similar clinical presentations, but they are transmitted by two different species of ticks and generally occur in different regions of the U.S. Ehrlichiosis is most frequently reported from the southeastern and south-central regions of the U.S., and from the eastern seaboard extending westward to Texas. The areas from which cases are reported correspond with the known geographic distribution of the Lone Star tick (Amblyomma americanum), whichis associated with the transmission of both E. chaffeensis and E. ewingii. Three states - Oklahoma, Missouri, and Arkansas - account for 35% of all reported E. chaffeensis infections.

Ehrlichiosis Symptoms and Treatment

Symptoms may appear up to 10 days after a tick bite.

Fever
Headache
Chills
Malaise
Myalgia
Gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and anorexia
Confusion
Conjunctival injection
Rash (more commonly reported among children)
Anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, and Rock Mountain spotted fever are treated in the same manner with doxycycline. Clinical suspicion of any of these diseases is sufficient to begin treatment. Delay in treatment may result in severe illness and death.



Tularemia
Tularemia is a disease of animals and humans caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis. Rabbits, hares and rodents are especially susceptible and often die in large numbers during outbreaks. Humans can become infected through several routes, including:

Tick bites, including the American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis, and the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum
Deer fly bites
Skin contact with infected animals, especially hunting and skinning infected rabbits
Ingestion of contaminated water
Inhalation of contaminated dusts or aerosols
Contact as a result of bioterrorism
Tularemia Symptoms and Treatment

Symptoms vary depending upon the route of infection. Although tularemia can be life-threatening, most infections can be treated successfully with antibiotics. Reduce the risk of getting tularemia by following these steps:

Use an insect repellent
Wear gloves when handling sick or dead animals
Avoid mowing over dead animals


Anaplasmosis
Anaplasmosis is a tick-borne disease caused by the bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum. It was previously known as human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE). Anaplasmosis is spread to humans by tick bites primarily from the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis. Anaplasmosis is most frequently reported from the upper midwest and northeastern U.S., in areas that correspond with the known geographic distribution of Lyme Disease. In Arkansas, these ticks are commonly found in shady areas along roads, meadows and woods. The risk of picking up these ticks is greater in wooded or brushy areas and in the edge area between lawns and woods.

Anaplasmosis Symptoms and Treatment

Symptoms may appear up to 10 days after a tick bite.

Fever, shaking, chills
Severe headache
Malaise
Myalgia
Gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and anorexia
Cough
Rash (rare cases)
Anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, and Rock Mountain spotted fever are treated in the same manner with doxycycline. Clinical suspicion of any of these diseases is sufficient to begin treatment. Delay in treatment may result in severe illness and death.



Lyme Disease
According to the CDC case definition for Lyme disease, Arkansas is considered a low-incidence state, meaning there are less than 10 confirmed cases per 100,000 people for the previous three reporting years. Ninety-five percent (95%) of Lyme disease cases come from 14 states. They are concentrated heavily in the Northeastern, Mid-Atlantic,and upper Midwestern states. Verified cases reported from other US states are usually associated with travel to states with high rates of infection. Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, and it is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks.

Lyme disease testing and interpretation is complicated. CDC currently recommends a two-step process when testing blood for evidence of antibodies against the Lyme disease bacteria. Both steps can be done using the same blood sample. The two steps of Lyme disease testing are designed to be done together. CDC does not recommend skipping the first test and just doing the Western blot. Doing so will increase the frequency of false positive results and may lead to misdiagnosis and improper treatment. Some laboratories offer Lyme disease testing using assays whose accuracy and clinical usefulness have not been adequately established. New tests may be developed as alternatives to one or both steps of the two-step process, but before CDC will recommend new tests, their performance must be demonstrated to be equal to or better than the results of the existing procedure, and they must be FDA approved.

Northern vs. Southern I. scapularis

Northern Southern Reference
Found on humans? Frequently Rarely Stromdahl and Hickling 2012
Collected by drag sampling Frequently Rarely Diuk-Wasser et al. 2006
Most common host of larvae Mice Lizards Apperson et al. 1993
Questing behavior On stems In leaf litter Arsnoe et al. 2015
For more information, click here to view our Grand Rounds presentation "Does Arkansas Have Lyme Disease?"

Symptoms:

Fever
Headache
Fatigue
A characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans (bulls-eye)
tick bite

If left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system.
Most cases of Lyme disease can be treated successfully with antibiotics. The ticks that transmit Lyme disease can transmit other tickborne diseases as well.

For Health Care Professionals: Diagnosis, Treatment and Testing

CDC: Two-step Laboratory Testing Process - Describes the steps to properly test for Lyme disease; includes decision tree.
Treatment guidelines
CDC: Tests that are NOT recommended by CDC for Lyme disease
CDC: Understanding Test Results for Infectious Diseases
Mayo Clinic: Serologic Diagnosis of Lyme Disease
Because Arkansas is categorized as a low-incidence state, healthcare professionals should consider other diagnosis first, like: viral infections, STARI, fibromyalgia, or arthritis.



Southern Tick Associated Rash Illness (STARI)
A rash similar to the rash of Lyme disease has been described in humans following bites of the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum. The rash may be accompanied by fatigue, fever, headache, muscle and joint pains. This condition has been named southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI). The cause of STARI is not known.



Emerging Tickborne
Heartland Virus
Heartland virus is believed to be spread to people by infected ticks. Cases of Heartland virus have been identified in the Midwestern and southern United States, including Arkansas. Scientific investigations are underway to find out if a bite from an infected tick is how people get Heartland virus illness. Recent studies have shown that the Lone Star tick (Amblyomma americanum) can transmit the virus.

In general, people identified with Heartland virus infection have suffered a flu-like illness in the months of May to September. They all had a fever, experienced fatigue, and loss of appetite. Some also complained of headaches, muscle and joint aches, diarrhea, or feeling sick to their stomach. There are no vaccines to prevent or medications to treat Heartland virus infections.The majority of Heartland virus patients required hospitalization but were able to return to their normal health in the weeks and months following their discharge.

For more information, click here to access the CDC.

Bourbon Virus

Bourbon virus was recently discovered in Bourbon County, Kansas. Only a few cases have been identified so scientists are still learning about possible symptoms caused by this new virus, and how people become infected with it. However, based on what we know about similar viruses, it is likely that Bourbon virus is spread thorugh tick or other insect bites.

People diagnosed with Bourbon virus had symptoms including fever, fatigue, rash, headache, other body aches, nausea, and vomiting. They also had low blood counts for cells that fight infection and help prevent bleeding. There are no vaccines to prevent or medications to treat Bourbon virus infections.



The one that causes allergy to meat is ALPHA-GAL , but the nickname, short for galactose-alpha-1, 3-galactose, is a sugar molecule that might just cause you to become allergic to meat.

The sugar molecule is spread from the Lone Star tick bite, named for the Texas-shaped marking on its back. Once bitten by a Lone Star tick, the body's immune system is rewired.

"You're walking through the woods, and that tick has had a meal of cow blood or mammal blood," explained Cosby Stone, an allergy and immunology fellow at Vanderbilt University. "The tick, carrying Alpha-Gal, bites you and activates your allergy immune system."

From this, your body creates Alpha-Gal antibodies and, from that point on, the body is wired to fight Alpha-Gal sugar molecules. The majority of people who develop Alpha-Gal allergy syndrome realize their illness after eating meat, which is rife with Alpha-Gal. The sugar is also present in some medications that use gelatins as stabilizers.

You can find more on google about alpha-Gal. I think is the one Pico has .

[shipahoy41]

WOW! Thank you for this post. You probably saved someone from being "Ticked off."

[Crestliner08]

Great information! Thanks!

[Pico]

Thanks for posting that. As someone yourself who has suffered from the bite of one of these devil blood suckers, you understand. We can never stress to others the severity of these illnesses.

I will chime in just a little on the Alpha Gal, as it is very widespread, and raging like wildfire across Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee and Kentucky.

It is spread by the lone star tick.
Not just the big ones you see, but also those little seed ticks.

You won't develop any symptoms immediately. Sometimes it may take months after the bite.

You can Google this and see the symptoms online. I'll tell you that it is a very mysterious allergy, and 95% of the medical professionals know absolutely nothing about it. Even if they have heard about it, very few can or will diagnose it.

Without dragging this out, I'll pass on some things to you.

This is an immune system allergic reaction to mammal meat. Which means you will react violently and seldom react the same way. The confusing part of all this is that the Alpha galactose has to get in your blood stream. This generally happens from eating meat.... somewhere between 4 and 8 hours later! So, in my case, for 31 straight days, I awoke between 2 and 4 am in anaphylactic shock. Trip after trip to er, nobody put this together with my dinner. Just having a reaction to something. Very frustrating.

Some people react worse than others, and some have had this, undiagnosed for years. Here are a few things though, that you should be aware of:

One of the first symptoms is a drop in blood pressure. Some people pass out on their way to the bathroom, as this also causes severe, instantaneous gastrointestinal distress.

Your immune system is trying to save you from something that doesn't exist. It is essentially an overloaded histamine dump at random in your body. It attacks your bronchial passage, random swelling, lips, hands, feet, throat. Hives. The worst hives you can imagine, from the bottom of you feet to top of your head. Those are some of the more common reactions.

Now, imagine a world with no mammal in it. After a year of this, I can tell you I still don't know everything that has mammal in it. Shampoos, soaps, toothpaste....your medicine. That's huge. I now have to have any prescription meds compounded by a special place. Almost all of them are derived from animal sources. The list goes on and on.

I'll end by saying thanks to nimrod for creating some public awareness. I used to think of a tick as an annoying pest. I realize now these little satanic blood suckers really will kill you.

If you even remotely suspect you may have this, please contact me and I'll try to help you avoid the medical runaround and get to the right people with the right test.

Pico

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[jay the baptist]

Yeap. About 5 years ago after we had been in a local campgroud for 3-4 days, I started running fever, my wrist and elbows were acking, then my neck locked up.
Our family doctor found a tick on my lower back. When blood work returned I had 3 diseases. Some high % and some very low %. I was tired for about 2 weeks and slept all the time when home.
They said it looked like a deer tick. But I don't know on from another.

[Kelvin]

I have heard good things about Permethrin based products and am going to try it for the first time. Repel Permethrin Long Lasting Clothing & Gear Insect Repellent 6.5 oz FS! | eBay

I guess its important not to get on your skin but will stay on your clothes for 2 weeks.

[deathb4disco]

I keep a little tick removal tool with me in my truck. Don't use tweezers!

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=tick+remo...nb_sb_ss_i_1_7

[Special K]

Satanic blood suckers indeed! My faith tells me that God had a purpose for creating everything... and I'm sure I don't doubt that. I've always said that I'd love to pile up all of the ticks, mosquitoes, leaches, gnats, chiggers, and midges in a great big pile and set fire to 'em. So, when I get to heaven I'm surely going to ask the purpose for such and a whole lot more.

This is a very dangerous situation for sure... one that deserves everyone's serious attention. Thanks to Nimrod for posting a very important notice to everyone.

[shmelton]

I’ve had STARI, nothing antibiotics couldn’t handle...drink a shot of vinegar a day, and ticks won’t bite ya.


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[GreenLine]

I have heard good things about Permethrin based products and am going to try it for the first time. Repel Permethrin Long Lasting Clothing & Gear Insect Repellent 6.5 oz FS! | eBay

I guess its important not to get on your skin but will stay on your clothes for 2 weeks.

This is great stuff. I’ve used it for years. It kills ticks before they can bite you.
Good for helping keep fire ants off too.



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