Fever? Rash? Fatigue?
It’s the time of year where a summer sickness brings the inevitable question, “do I have a tick-borne illness?” The question is valid in the Summer of 2018. Dr. Mindy Cail says she has diagnosed several tick-borne illnesses this season.
“I just diagnosed my fourth case of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever this summer, and it’s only mid-July. I’ve also seen one case of Lyme Disease, but it is much less common in Oklahoma. This is crazy—I usually don’t see more than one case a year. Please, PLEASE protect yourselves from ticks,” said Dr. Cail on social media.
“Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) is a bacterial disease spread through the bite of an infected tick. Most people who get sick with RMSF will have a fever, headache, and rash. RMSF can be deadly if not treated early with the right antibiotic,” according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Some of us have free-range guineas or chickens to consume the tick population around the homestead. Some of us spray and do regular “tick checks” after spending time in the garden or playing with the kids in the yard, or in the woods picking sand plums or blackberries. What is your tick defense?
Dr. Cail, or “Dr. Mindy” as she is known on her television and radio appearances practices at Primary Health Partners in Edmond.
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