What are louse-borne diseases?
To date, there are three known louse-borne diseases: epidemic typhus, epidemic relapsing fever, and trench fever. These infections particularly affect populations living in poor-hygiene conditions where body louse infestations are prevalent.
What are the 3 tick borne diseases?
Some of the most common tick-borne diseases in the United States include: Lyme disease, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, anaplasmosis, Southern Tick-Associated Rash Illness, Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever, and tularemia.
What is the most common tick borne disease?
Lyme disease, caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, is a potentially serious bacterial infection affecting both humans and animals. It is the most common tickborne disease reported in Minnesota and in the United States.
How is louse transmitted?
Head lice move by crawling; they cannot hop or fly. Head lice are spread by direct contact with the hair of an infested person. Anyone who comes in head-to-head contact with someone who already has head lice is at greatest risk.
How do you avoid getting lice?
Avoid head-to-head (hair-to-hair) contact during play and other activities at home, school, and elsewhere (sports activities, playground, slumber parties, camp). Do not share clothing such as hats, scarves, coats, sports uniforms, hair ribbons, or barrettes. Do not share combs, brushes, or towels.
How are tick borne diseases diagnosed?
More advanced lab tests that can provide more precise diagnosis of the disease include a PCR test to identify Ehrlichia-specific DNA, and IFA tests to detect antibodies to the Ehrlichia antigens in the blood. Anaplasmosis, similar to Ehrlichiosis is caused by the bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum.
Do all ticks carry disease?
Ticks prefer to live in wooded areas, low-growing grasslands, and yards. Not all ticks carry the Lyme disease bacteria. Depending on the location, anywhere from less than 1% to more than 50% of the ticks are infected with it. While most tick bites are harmless, several species can cause life-threatening diseases.
Are humans vectors?
These factors include animals hosting the disease, vectors, and people. Humans can also be vectors for some diseases, such as Tobacco mosaic virus, physically transmitting the virus with their hands from plant to plant.
Are tick-borne disease curable?
There is no cure for an infection. Treatment may include IV fluids and pain medications.
How do you treat a tick-borne illness?
TREATMENT. Treatment is supportive. No specific medication is indicated. At the onset of symptoms, most patients will be treated empirically with tetracycline, doxycycline, or chloramphenicol to cover for other tick-borne diseases.