24 - tickborne diseases

Question 1

Identify three tick-borne diseases seen in Minnesota and Wisconsin and recognize high-risk areas

Answer 1

• Lyme Disease – NE, MN and WI
• Human Anaplasmosis – Easter US (more in north)
• Babesiosis – NE (Nantucket island, martha’s vineyard, Cape Cod, Long Island)

Question 2

Understand the life cycle of the blacklegged tick and relevant transmission factors. i.e. Which stage is responsible for most disease transmission? When do most humans infections occur?

Answer 2

The nymph
Summer to early fall (most in July)

Question 3

(ticks)

descirbe associated clinical syndromes…

Answer 3

Early localized (7-10 days incubation): characterstic EM rash

Possible fever, headache, myalgia, arthralgia

Early disseminated (days to weeks after onset of localized infection): aseptic meningitis, cranial neuropathy, joint pains, cardiac conduction abnormalities (AV block)
Late Disseminated (wks to mo after infections in 60% of untreated patients): arthritis (large joints), neurologic symptoms

Question 4

(ticks)

treatment for lyme/anaplasmosis/babesiosis?

Answer 4

lyme: doxycycline or amoxicillin
anaplasmosis: doxycycline
babesiosis: clindamycin and quinine or atovaqoune and azithromycin

Question 5

(tick borne diseases)

What precautions would you recommend to your clients to protect themselves and their animals?

Answer 5

• Avoid deer tick habitat (hardwood forest, full canopy/well drained soil, sufficient host abundance, forest-grassland edge
• Avoid tick bites: walk in center of trails, long pants, insect repellent
• For pets: lyme dz vx, flea and tick control

Question 6

(tick borne diseases)

Identify additional resources for information – seriously?

Answer 6

Health.state.mn.us, www.cdc.gov, www.dogsandticks.com, www.capcvet.org