Tick Borne Illness Flashcards
Prevalence of what Tick borne illness
Endemic in Central & South America. Occur throughout the United States, but are most commonly reported from North Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF)
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF)
Predisposing Factors:
Hiking, camping, high tick population, spring, summer & fall months, not performing tick checks, lack of PPE/covering.
What tick borne illness, Transmitted Via:
American dog tick - East of Rockies & Pacific Coast, Rocky Mountain wood tick - Rocky Mountain region, brown dog tick (worldwide).
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF)
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF)
Incubation Period:
Typically 2–14 days
RMSF Lethality
typically, no.
if Untreated, YES!!
RMSF is a rapidly progressive disease and without early administration of _______ can be fatal within days.
doxycycline
What issue / Tx
(1) Hx
-(a) Summer & fall month, Hiking, camping in North Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.
-(b) Recent Tick Bite
(2) Early illness (days 1-4) Fever, HA, GI symptoms, myalgias, edema around eyes & back of hands, and rash.
-(a) Rash typically presents 2-4 days after fever onset
-(b) Begins as small flat pink macules on wrists, forearms and ankles that spreads to trunk
-(c) Can also involve palms of hands & soles of feet
(3) Late illness (day 5 or later)
-(a) infection of endothelial cells that line blood vessels, causing vasculitis and bleeding or clotting in the brain or other vital organs
-(b) Severe illness may cause permanent complications from:
–(1) Neurological deficits
–(2) Damage to internal organs (respiratory compromise, renal failure)
–(3) Vascular damage requiring amputation
-(c) The petechial rash of RMSF does not typically appear until
day 5-6 of illness.
RMSF
Doxycycline = Treatment of choice for all tickborne rickettsial
diseases. Doxycycline 100 mg PO BID for 5 – 7 days.
RMSF – Treatment
Presumptive Tx with doxycycline is recommended in patients of all ages and is most effective when started within the first ____ days of illness.
5 days
True/False
RMSF – Treatment
Use of antibiotics other than doxycycline associated with higher risk of death.
True
Maintain clinical suspicion of what illness in cases of non-specific febrile illness & sepsis of unknown origin, particularly during spring/summer months when ticks are most active?
RMSF
Tick Prevention
Gear Prep:
(a) Treat gear & clothing with products containing _________.
(b) Use EPA registered _______ repellents (DEET or picaridin both
commonly available).
(c) Wear ________________________ (light-colored clothing also helps to identify ticks)
a) 0.5% permethrin
b) insect
c) long pants, long sleeves, and long socks
1) Perform tick checks at ___-hour intervals when training or operating in RMSF endemic areas.
2) Never let your personnel go > __hrs without a check
1) 12
2) 24
RMSF – Disposition
(1) MedEvac patient to higher echelon of care.
(2) IDC should initiate treatment with doxycycline while patient is still on board.
RMSF – Disposition
When caught & treated early, RMSF may never progress in severity, however, patient still requires MedEvac for what?
monitoring and laboratory studies
What disease
Organism Type:
Spirochetes belonging to the Borrelia burgdorferi complex
Lyme Disease