Ehrlichiosis Is a Disease That Originates From

Ehrlichiosis is a disease that originates from ticks. In the United States, there are two types of this life-threatening bacteria that were found to affect the human body. These are the Human Monocytic Ehrlichiosis (HME) and the Human Granulocytic Ehrlichiosis (HGE) that attack the white blood cells of the human body.

Ehrlichiosis is a disease that can resolve even without any treatment. However, for those who are badly infected specially those who have immune system problems, the disease can be fatal if not immediately diagnosed and treated. Ehrlichiosis is among the type of tick diseases. Deer ticks, which primarily can be found in the northern states such as the New Jersey and Texas, transmit bacteria that cause ehrlichiosis. When bitten by an infected tick, a person can acquire the ehrlichiosis disease within 3 to 16 days (astdhpphe online). Astdhpphe Online lists the following symptoms caused by the disease.

High fever

Tiredness

Major muscle aches

Severe Headache

Possible rashes for HME cases. This is rare to HGE cases.

Diagnosis of ehrlichiosis is done through laboratory tests of white blood cells, platelet, and liver. These parts of the human body are among the most important parts that ehrlichiosis can infect and thus may cause death. However, when found infected by ehrlichiosis, antibiotics such as doxycycline or tetracycline can treat the disease within 2 to 4 days. Reported deaths were only due to bad infections that ehrlichiosis had caused to the patients who may have failure immune systems.

Ticks that cause ehrlichiosis usually inhabit vegetation areas where there are moist grasses and leaves such as in lawns or gardens. Although not all ticks are infected with bacteria and may cause ehrlichiosis, certain precautions must still be made to prevent the disease. American Lyme Disease Foundation Online lists the following measures.

Wear enclosed shoes and light-colored clothing with a tight weave to spot ticks easily

Scan clothes and any exposed skin frequently for ticks while outdoors

Stay on cleared, well-traveled trails

Use insect repellent containing DEET (Diethyl-meta-toluamide) on skin or clothes if you intend to go off-trail or into overgrown areas;

Avoid sitting directly on the ground or on stone walls that harbor mice, chipmunks and other small mammals

Keep long hair pulled back, especially when gardening