TICK-BORNE INFECTIONS - WHAT STARTS AS A TINY BITE MAY HAVE A SERIOUSOUTCOME

Tick-borne illnesses are reported increasing often. Unlike Lyme diseas e, which tends to be indolent, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and ehrlic hiosis can kill and so must be recognized and treated promptly. These diseases require clinical diagnosis, because laboratory confirmation w ith antibody tests takes too long. Tetracycline hydrochloride, doxycyc line (Doryx, Vibramycin), or chloramphenicol (Chloromycetin) treatment is effective. Other diseases (eg, babesiosis, tularemia) are encounte red occasionally and can also be fatal but are treatable with antibiot ics.