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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffEhrlichiosis is a bacterial illness transmitted by ticks that causes flu-like symptoms. Ehrlichiosis is most common in spring and summer, when ticks are active and you're more likely to be outdoors.
The signs and symptoms of ehrlichiosis range from mild body aches to severe fever and usually appear within a week or two of a tick bite. If treated quickly with antibiotics, ehrlichiosis generally improves within a few days.
Another tick-borne infection — anaplasmosis — is closely related to ehrlichiosis. But the two have distinct differences and are caused by different microorganisms.
The best way to prevent these infections is to avoid tick bites. Tick repellents, thorough body checks after being outside and proper removal of ticks give you the best chance of avoiding ehrlichiosis.
- Sexton DJ. Human ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 29, 2010.
- Prevention and control. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ticks/prevention.html. Accessed Feb. 24, 2010.
- Questions and answers. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ticks/diseases/ehrlichiosis/faq.html. Accessed Feb. 24, 2010.
- Stone JH, et al. Human monocytic ehrlichiosis. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2004;292:2263.
- Ganguly S, et al. Tick-borne ehrlichiosis infection in human beings. Journal of Vector Borne Disease. 2008;45:273.
- Walker DH, et al. Rickettsial diseases. In: Fauci AS, et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 17th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2898577. Accessed Feb. 25, 2010.
- Elston DM. Tick bites and skin rashes. Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases. In press. Accessed Feb. 24, 2010.
- Other tick-borne diseases. American Lyme Disease Foundation. http://www.aldf.com/Ehrlichiosis.shtml. Accessed Feb. 25, 2010.
- Removing ticks. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ticks/tick_removal.html. Accessed Feb. 25, 2010.
- Prevention of tickborne infections. American Academy of Pediatrics. http://aapredbook.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/2009/1/2.13?maxtoshow=&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=prevention+of+tickborne&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&volume=2009&issue=1&resourcetype=HWCIT. Accessed Feb. 26, 2010.
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