Just when you thought Lyme disease was enough to be concerned about, ehrlichiosis has quickly emerged as another tick borne disease. The distribution of the Ehrlichiosis infection in Connecticut very much mirrors that of Lyme disease. There were 544 confirmed cases from 1995 to 2000, covering all 8 counties.
Ehrlichiosis is a general name used to describe several bacterial diseases that affect animals and humans. Currently, three species of ehrlichia (pronounced err-lick-ee-uh) in the United States and one in Japan are known to cause disease in humans. It’s a disease, like Lyme and babesiosis, which is transmitted in our region by the bite of an infected blacklegged or deer tick.
Ehrlichiosis symptoms generally include fever, chills, headache, fatigue, and muscle aches. Other signs might include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cough, joint pains, and confusion. A rash is uncommon but can occasionally occur. Symptoms usually appear in about 5-10 days after the tick bite.
The severity of ehrlichiosis is partly related to the health of the immune system of the patient. It’s possible, as with West Nile Virus that those who become infected develop only mild symptoms and do not become ill at all. The important thing is to not ignore or tolerate symptoms. Ehrlichiosis can be a severe illness, and sometimes fatal if left untreated.
An Ehrlichiosis diagnosis is based on a combination of clinical signs, symptoms, and confirmatory laboratory tests. Blood sample tests indicative of ehrlichiosis include a low white blood cell count, a low platelet count, and elevated liver enzymes. Tests may be negative in the early stages and are more accurate from specimens obtained during the third week of illness. It’s usually treated with doxycycline or tetracycline. Some immunity develops to the disease but this is thought to wane after a year or so and allow some patients to become re-infected in the future. Doctors must report confirmed ehrlichiosis cases to the state.
The transmission of Ehrlichiosis from an infected attached tick can occur within 24 hours, unlike Lyme disease, which usually takes longer (24-48 hours). This emphasizes the importance of getting the tick off as soon as possible. Be sure and use bent nose needle nose tweezers, not your hands. The Redding Health Department does send ticks for Lyme disease testing to the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station lab, however they currently do not test ticks for ehrlichiosis.
With Redding’s rural beauty is it reasonable to presume we can completely eliminate outdoor activities that can result in tick exposure? Of course not. Outdoor fun and activity is one of treasured joys of living in Redding, however Redding’s landscape and woodsy character do provide an ideal food source for many types of wildlife, particularly the white tailed deer and therefore ticks. Deer play a critical role in the reproductive capacity of the deer tick. Studies have shown that the size of the deer tick population can be reduced by effective deer population management. Reducing deer numbers locally and regionally will lessen the quantity of ticks and therefore lower the risk of obtaining a tick-borne disease. The Town Clerk’s office may be contacted at 938-2377 or the Redding Deer Warden at 948-2844 to sign-up for a
controlled deer hunt on private property.
Yes ehrlichiosis is one more tick-borne disease to be concerned about, but the good news is that if you’re already aware of the preventative measures used for Lyme, the same apply to ehrlichiosis. Be diligent with tick checks, be aware of the symptoms and respond to them, and make your property less attractive to deer.
Key points for tick-borne disease prevention:
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Dress to avoid a bite ( long pants and long sleeve shirts) |
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Conduct frequent tick checks |
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Use repellents ( EPA approved ) |
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Discourage deer from coming on your property by using deer resistant plantings and eliminating bird feeders |
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Be aware that stone walls and wood piles are ideal mouse, chipmunk, and therefore tick habitats |
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Keep the lawn cut short and remove leaf litter |
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Support town-wide deer management efforts |
Doug Hartline, RS
Redding Health Officer
August 30 2007
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