What is relapsing fever?
It is caused by a type called Borrelia Miyamotoi The disease is well known in the United States, but has also recently emerged in Europe, including the Czech Republic. The current survey showed that one in five markers tested positive for the new species and that this is not a local occurrence. It has been detected in samples from all over the Czech Republic. It was also found that a shorter sucking time compared to other Borrelia species is sufficient for transmission, as the bacteria are also found in the salivary glands of ticks.
It is very difficult to find out, because the usual tests for Lyme disease do not detect the new causative agent of the disease. This can only be done by examining ticks directly, and for such a test you will pay an additional CZK 500 in addition to the standard examination price for other diseases.
What is a new type of giant tick? Watch the video:
How does the new type of borreliosis manifest itself?
from Lyme disease It differs primarily in that it does not manifest itself as a typical point about the attachment site. The most common symptoms include fever, chills, and headache, and the onset is much faster and more severe than Lyme disease. The first symptoms appear between the second and ninth days. A day after the tick bite, the fever tends to return frequently.
The disease is also accompanied by pain in the muscles and joints, severe fatigue and nausea. The elderly and the chronically ill can develop meningoencephalitis, an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. In addition, the doctor does not have to detect it immediately, because according to laboratory tests, the results are similar to another disease, which is Granular Ehrlich’s diseasewhich is characterized by a decrease in the number of white blood cells.
Treating relapsing fever
The good news is that the disease can be treated with the same antibiotics as Lyme disease. Doxycycline or ceftriaxone is often prescribed for more severe cases. For children and pregnant women, it is amoxicillin with clavulanate. During treatment, you must definitely follow the rest regimen. Sometimes there may be an exacerbation of the symptoms of infection, which occurs due to the fact that bacteria decompose and the released substances trigger an immune reaction. It is mainly manifested by fever, headache and muscle pain.
Possible consequences
Unfortunately, some symptoms can last for years. This is the so-called polymorphic syndrome after a tick bite. Symptoms include general weakness, dizziness, joint pain, sleep disturbances, other nervous disorders, and frequent fever. Because, as with Ehrlich disease, there is a decrease in white blood cells, you can also face a weakened immune system, when you are more susceptible to other infections. One of the most common yeast diseases.
Lyme disease and encephalitis
In our country, among the biggest threats, what Tick-borne diseases As far as Lyme disease and encephalitis are concerned. mentioned it for the first time It occurs in the first stage completely asymptomatic (even without a red spot on the skin) or the symptoms are very weak, which is a ticking time bomb. If you do not undergo treatment in time, in the second stage, which begins only after several months or years, the disease already affects the skin, joints, nervous system, heart and other organs.
Rare, but more dangerous Brain inflammation Instead, it is a viral disease that affects the brain and meninges. After about two weeks, the first symptoms appear in the form of a common cold, which ends after a few days. In some cases, after 4 to 10 days, CNS involvement develops, accompanied by severe headache, photophobia, encephalitis, and disturbances of sleep, memory, and balance. The acute phase lasts about 2-3 weeks. Unlike Lyme disease, there is no cure for this disease It could also end in death. The only protection is vaccination.