Transmission of tick-borne diseases occurs from an infected tick to the human target. Tick-borne diseases include bacteria, parasites or viruses. The Centers for Disease Control keeps record by region of all reported tick-borne diseases such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Colorado tick fever and Babesiosis.
Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is more prominent in the Northeast and Pacific coastline regions, but all 48 contiguous states report confirmed cases. Infected deer ticks transmit Lyme disease. Most infections from Lyme disease occur between May and August. Outdoor workers in areas such as landscaping, farming, construction and utility line work are at risk of infection in tick-infested regions. The deer tick is so tiny that many people do not recognize the presence of the tick, especially on children. A bull's eye rash appears in about a week after the bite. Other symptoms include fever, malaise and enlarged lumph nodes. Late-stage symptoms include muscle and joint aches, fatigue and fever. Immediate antibiotic treatment provides the best opportunity to avoid chronic or late-stage Lyme disease.
Babesiosis
The bite of an infected tick transmits Babesia parasites from tick to human. Deer ticks, also called black-legged ticks, live primarily in the upper Midwest and Northeast. The nymph stage of the tick, the carrier of Babesia, seeks a human blood meal in the warmer months. Wooded and grassy areas are the preferred habitat. Symptoms of Babesiosis include fever, body aches, fatigue and nausea.
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Rocky Mountain spotted fever, the most severe tick-borne rickettsial disease, results from the Rickettsia rickettsii. The carrier ticks include the wood tick in the Western United States and the dog tick in the Eastern United States. The National Institutes of Health reports about 1,000 reported cases every year, mostly in children. The highest risk for infection occurs after the tick stays attached for 20 hours or more. Symptoms may include chills, fever, headache and a rash that appears on the wrists and ankles as spots and spreads to the rest of the body.
Colorado Tick Fever
The Rocky Mountain wood tick transmits the tick-borne viral disease known as Colorado tick fever (CTF), American mountain fever or mountain tick fever. The infected adult wood tick transmits Colorado tick fever primarily between April and August. The Rocky Mountain region, British Columbia and Alberta remain the locations of the highest reported cases of CTF. Symptoms including headache, fever and chills occur from three to seven days following infection by a tick. Two bouts of fever manifest in about half of the infected people with the second bout more severe. The American Lyme Disease Foundation reports in cases where the infection attacks the central nervous system, the most serious symptoms include coma and death.
