6 Things That You Should Know About Human Ehrlichiosis

Human Ehrlichiosis can lead to very serious conditions especially if not diagnosed and treated immediately. Below are facts about Human Ehrlichiosis:

Understand Human Ehrlichiosis' nature and cause

The bacteria Ehrlichia is the cause behind the Human Ehrlichiosis infection. It is transmitted to humans through a tick bite from either a deer tick or lone star tick. It cannot be transmitted from one person to another. Ehrlichiosis cases have been found in southeast and south-central United States. There have been reports from California including mid-west and north-east states.

Find out the types of Ehrlichiosis

Human Ehrlichiosis is usually classified into either Human Monocytic Ehrlichiosis (HME) or Human Granulocutic Ehrlichiosis (HGE), and these types are named according what white blood cells they target. HME attacks monocytes while HGE infects the granulocytes.

Be familiar with the symptoms of the infection

Following a 5 to 10 day incubation period after the initial tick bite, the symptoms of Ehrlichiosis start to show. High fever, weakness, headache, and major muscle pain are the usual symptoms. Other symptoms include rash, nausea, vomiting, cough, and diarrhea. In most situations, an Ehrlichia infection show the previously discussed signs; however, sometimes there are only minor signs or no indication at all.

Be aware of its diagnosis and cure

The diagnostic procedure for Human Ehrlichiosis begins with the signs of the infection that shows after a tick bite. Some laboratory and blood tests are conducted to identify the presence of Ehrlichia bacteria, including low platelet count, low white blood cell count and if the patient has high level enzymes. The infection can be treated with antibiotics, particularly doxycycline. Rifampin is an alternative medication for cases of pregnant women or people who are allergic to doxycycline.

Know the complications of Ehrlichiosis

If the condition is not diagnosed or administered with immediate treatment, Human Ehrlichiosis can become more serious and complications can result as the bacteria infect the rest of the body. This can cause the white cell and platelet count to drop. Complications include seizures, severe pain in the joints, increased mental confusion, very high fever, and even kidney failure. There are also a number of deaths reported.

Know preventive measures against it

The most important step in preventing infection is avoiding tick bites. Always make sure to avoid being in areas that are known to be infested with ticks during peak months and more so when there are many reports of Ehrlichiosis cases. When you are in an outdoor environment that is woody, always wear protective clothing such as shirts with long sleeves, long pants, socks, closed shoes or boots and hats. Insect repellent has to be applied to exposed parts of the body like hands and the neck. These ticks are known to transmit the bacteria to your body if they remain stuck for at least 24 hours, so from time to time be sure to check for any ticks on your clothes and your body and remove promptly. Take a shower after spending time outdoors to make sure you immediately remove any ticks on your body.

It is always better to prevent an infection than it is to find a cure for it, so always take the extra precautions to avoid getting infected with Ehrlichiosis and its complications.