Illinois man bitten, lands in hospital
By Len Wells
Sunday, June 1, 2008
MOUNT VERNON, Ill. — On Memorial Day weekend, Mike Warren came down with what he believed was the flu. The 58-year-old employee of St. Mary's Good Samaritan Hospital in Mount Vernon felt lousy but grew more concerned about his illness when a rash began to spread across his body.
On May 25, he decided to go to the emergency room, where he works in administration. His condition was a lot worse than he thought. His kidneys were failing, and he had developed breathing difficulties. Doctors immediately transferred him to Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis for advanced care, hoping doctors there could make a quick diagnosis.
Blood tests revealed Warren was suffering from Ehrlichiosis, a fairly uncommon disease transmitted by the bite of the lone star tick.
"He remembered pulling a tick off himself about two weeks ago," said his father, Dale Warren of Fairfield, Ill. "He never really gave it much thought until he wound up in the hospital in St. Louis."
Ehrlichiosis in humans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, first was described in the U.S. in 1987. The disease usually is seen in the southeastern and south-central regions of the U.S. and primarily is transmitted by the bite of a lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum.
Doctors at Barnes-Jewish Hospital told the Warren family that they see only five to 10 cases of the illness a year.
Ehrlichiosis can be a severe illness, especially if left untreated, and as many as half of all patients require hospitalization. Severe cases may include kidney failure, seizures, respiratory failure and coma. About 2 percent to 3 percent of Ehrlichiosis patients may die from the infection.
Soon after his admission to Barnes-Jewish Hospital, doctors started Warren on antibiotics and kidney dialysis, and they ordered oxygen therapy to ease his breathing problems.
As of Saturday morning, he was still in the cardiac unitl, where doctors are monitoring his condition carefully.
"He is still very, very sick," said his father. "We're so glad, though, that so many people have included him in their prayers and area churches have placed him on their prayer chains."
Officials with the CDC say it is unreasonable to assume a person can eliminate activities that may result in tick exposure. Prevention measures, they say, should be aimed at personal protection. Wear light-colored clothing, which will allow you to see ticks crawling on your clothing. Tuck your pants legs into your socks so ticks cannot crawl up the inside your pants legs.
Apply repellents to discourage tick attachment. Repellents containing permethrin can be sprayed on boots or clothing and will last for several days. Repellents containing DEET can be applied to the skin, but they last only a few hours before reapplication is necessary.
Most important, conduct a body check upon return from potentially tick-infested areas by searching your entire body for ticks.
By Len Wells
Sunday, June 1, 2008
MOUNT VERNON, Ill. — On Memorial Day weekend, Mike Warren came down with what he believed was the flu. The 58-year-old employee of St. Mary's Good Samaritan Hospital in Mount Vernon felt lousy but grew more concerned about his illness when a rash began to spread across his body.
On May 25, he decided to go to the emergency room, where he works in administration. His condition was a lot worse than he thought. His kidneys were failing, and he had developed breathing difficulties. Doctors immediately transferred him to Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis for advanced care, hoping doctors there could make a quick diagnosis.
Blood tests revealed Warren was suffering from Ehrlichiosis, a fairly uncommon disease transmitted by the bite of the lone star tick.
"He remembered pulling a tick off himself about two weeks ago," said his father, Dale Warren of Fairfield, Ill. "He never really gave it much thought until he wound up in the hospital in St. Louis."
Ehrlichiosis in humans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, first was described in the U.S. in 1987. The disease usually is seen in the southeastern and south-central regions of the U.S. and primarily is transmitted by the bite of a lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum.
Doctors at Barnes-Jewish Hospital told the Warren family that they see only five to 10 cases of the illness a year.
Ehrlichiosis can be a severe illness, especially if left untreated, and as many as half of all patients require hospitalization. Severe cases may include kidney failure, seizures, respiratory failure and coma. About 2 percent to 3 percent of Ehrlichiosis patients may die from the infection.
Soon after his admission to Barnes-Jewish Hospital, doctors started Warren on antibiotics and kidney dialysis, and they ordered oxygen therapy to ease his breathing problems.
As of Saturday morning, he was still in the cardiac unitl, where doctors are monitoring his condition carefully.
"He is still very, very sick," said his father. "We're so glad, though, that so many people have included him in their prayers and area churches have placed him on their prayer chains."
Officials with the CDC say it is unreasonable to assume a person can eliminate activities that may result in tick exposure. Prevention measures, they say, should be aimed at personal protection. Wear light-colored clothing, which will allow you to see ticks crawling on your clothing. Tuck your pants legs into your socks so ticks cannot crawl up the inside your pants legs.
Apply repellents to discourage tick attachment. Repellents containing permethrin can be sprayed on boots or clothing and will last for several days. Repellents containing DEET can be applied to the skin, but they last only a few hours before reapplication is necessary.
Most important, conduct a body check upon return from potentially tick-infested areas by searching your entire body for ticks.
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