Rickettsial and Other Tick-Borne Infections

Tick-borne illnesses and rickettsial diseases continue to cause severe illness and death despite the availability of low-cost, effective antimicrobial therapy. Early signs and symptoms of these illnesses often mimic a benign or nonspecific viral illness, making diagnosis difficult. This difficult diagnostic dilemma warrants an understanding of ticks, their habitats, symptoms of illnesses, and immediate treatment to ameliorate the severity and fatalities caused by these diseases.