Newly Discovered Tick-Borne Infection Especially Dangerous For People Who Have Autoimmune Diseases

Ticks are tiny, eight-legged parasitic creatures, often too small to be seen with the naked eye, that carry destructive, even deadly infectious diseases.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever is a potentially deadly infection spread by dog ticks caused by the bacterium Rickettsia rickettsii. As its name suggests, the disease causes infected persons to break out in distinctive red spots, but the most common tick transmitting the disease itself is actually more common east of the Rocky Mountains than in the Rocky Mountains themselves.

Lyme disease is an all too common infection in both the United States and Europe. It is spread by several kinds of ticks that are found in almost all of the United States and southern Canada. 

And ticks are also known to transmit anaplasmosis, babseosis, erlichiosis, rickettsiosis, and tularemia. A newly discovered tick borne infection, however, is especially deadly to people who have autoimmune diseases or B-cell lymphoma.

A Germ That Targets Overactive and Weakened Immune Systems

Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis, the newly discovered tick-borne bacterial infection, has been diagnosed in Europe and in China. About half of people who are infected with the bacteria already have either autoimmune disease (such as lupus, Sjogren's syndrome, or rheumatoid arthritis) of a form of cancer known as B cell lymphoma. 

"If an immune-suppressed, high-risk patient (middle-aged, with B cell malignancy, autoimmune disease, ongoing immune suppression such as rituximab, chemotherapy, or corticosteroids) has evidence of systemic inflammation, which does not seem to fit with either infection or recurrence of the underlying disease, pan-bacterial PCR should be performed to rule out/in Ca Neoehrlichia mikurensis,"  researcher Dr. Christine Wennerås from Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Goteborg, Sweden is quoted telling the Reuter's news agency.

Deadly Symptoms in Sick People

The most striking feature of infections with this newly discovered germ is its ability to trigger the formation of blood clots.

See Also: Ticks: What You Should Know About Lyme Disease

It appears the the germ uses clotting factors from the blood to build a protective cloak around itself to protect it from white blood cells. Most of the people infected with the bacterium who did not develop deadly problems with blood clots have been on preventative anticoagulant therapy with drugs such as warfarin (Coumadin), heparin (Lovenox), and clopidogrel (Plavix).

Every case of Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis infection has been accompanied by high fever, whole body aches and inflammation but especially intense localized pain. Doctors have found that amoxicillin, clindamycin,  penicillin, third-generation cephalosporins, aminoglycosides, and quinolone all fail to contain symptoms, but that the antibiotic doxycycline begins to control symptoms in about half of patients in about 5 days. Sometimes, however, there simply isn't an antibiotic that works.

The Good News And The Bad News About Neoehrlichia Infections

The good news about these newly discovered Neoehrlichia infections is that they have not yet occurred in North or South America, Australia, New Zealand, or Africa. The number of people who have been infected with the microbe is small, and many have survived the infection. If doctors know to look for the infection, they can use doxycycline to treat it. 

There are things you can do to protect yourself against this and other dangerous tick-borne infections.

• If you are getting treatment for lupus, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren's syndrome, or any other autoimmune disease with immunotherapy drugs such as Humira (adalimumab) or Remicade (infliximab) or Simponi (golimumab), maybe it's not a great idea to go hiking in the woods recreationally, especially if trails take you through tall, dry, late summer grass. There are too many diseases transmitted by ticks that can have painful, disabling, and even deadly effects that can be acquired in the woods. This precaution is especially appropriate if you are past the age of 40.
• It is probably also a good idea to avoid potential exposure to ticks if you have B-cell lymphoma or kidney cancer.
• Not just you but your pets need to be kept tick-free. Regular flea and tick prevention can keep your dog or cat healthier, and keep you healthier as well.
• If you do decide to tromp through the woods or grasslands where ticks are common, wear light-colored clothes (ticks are attracted to dark colors), keep pants tucked into socks, apply insect/tick repellent, and check for ticks regularly.
• If you find a tick on your body, don't mash it. This injects its germs into your bloodstream. Instead, remove it with tweezers. Grasp the tick firmly with tweezers and pull back slowly and steadily. The idea is to remove the tick without damaging it or forcing its body fluids into your bloodstream.
• Burning ticks, smothering them with Vaseline or other petroleum jelly products, and rubbing them off are not recommended. All of these methods can force parts of the tick into your body.
• Don't panic if you don't find a tick until you get back from your hike. Usually diseases are not transmitted until the tick has been on the skin for 3 to 48 hours. But don't delay, either.
• After removing the tick, inspect the skin to make sure the tick's head did not become imbedded in the skin. Disinfect the skin with Isopropyl alcohol or iodine.

See Also: Ten Tips for Avoiding and Removing Ticks

• Keep the tick in a closed jar in the refrigerator for up to a month just in case symptoms develop. Having the tick that bit you available for inspection by the doctor and the lab can be helpful in diagnosing any disease the tick transmits.
• If you are in an especially high-risk group, such as people who are on immunotherapy for autoimmune disease or chemotherapy for cancer, it is a good idea to see your doctor as soon as possible after you get a tick bite. Don't try to treat infections on your own.