AFRICAN TICK BITE FEVER WHO'S GOT IT!

[Mark Biggerstaff]

I might add. He attached to my calf about 1/2 inch above top of my sock. About 10 inches up from ankle. I had treated socks with permethrin also.

 

[Hank2211]

Doxycycline on its own may cure you, but a combination of a full course of Doxy and Levofloxacin will certainly cure you. A doctor in Kimberley gave me both when I came down with it on a hunt some yers ago. He was clear - take both - one is 10 days the other is 14 days and don't stop. I now take both with me.

 

[Speedster]

I had one in my scalp when I was there. Treated all my clothes with Permethrin. It must have dropped on me from a tree branch I guess. Had my PH pull it out of me. Where it was attached hurt like crazy for a couple of weeks afterwards. I went to my doc as soon as I got back and he put me on doxy meds as a preventative.

 

[Dewald]

Doxycycline on its own may cure you, but a combination of a full course of Doxy and Levofloxacin will certainly cure you. A doctor in Kimberley gave me both when I came down with it on a hunt some yers ago. He was clear - take both - one is 10 days the other is 14 days and don't stop. I now take both with me.

The role of fluoroquinolones ( cipro, moxy, levofloxacin etc) remains controversial in the treatment of Rickettsial disease, both Conorii and Africae, the two species responsible for tick borne disease in Southern Africa.

The drug group does however carry a significant risk for tendinopathy of Achilles, hamstring and shoulder tendons, and frequently Achilles tendon rupture. The group most at risk are males over middel age, with dehydration and exercise increasing the risk. I would personally not risk taking it unnecessarily.

 

[BWH]

The role of fluoroquinolones ( cipro, moxy, levofloxacin etc) remains controversial in the treatment of Rickettsial disease, both Conorii and Africae, the two species responsible for tick borne disease in Southern Africa.

The drug group does however carry a significant risk for tendinopathy of Achilles, hamstring and shoulder tendons, and frequently Achilles tendon rupture. The group most at risk are males over middel age, with dehydration and exercise increasing the risk. I would personally not risk taking it unnecessarily.

I know this & agree not taken unnecessarily .... however, a tendon tear is lightweight compared to loss of life.

 

[Dewald]

I know this & agree not taken unnecessarily .... however, a tendon tear is lightweight compared to loss of life.

100%, but my point is there is no evidence of better outcomes when adding the Levo, vs just taking Doxy. Getting back to hunting LDE or buffalo on foot after rupturing your Achilles is not going to be fun.

 

[Charles de Ribeau]

I must be lucky. First I treat my clothing. My doctor is a very competent and common sense guy. I ask for doxy just in case, he writes the script. Any doctor worth their salt knows you will be in the middle of BFN and have limited to no access to medical treatment

I have an internist who doesn't want to give me anything for travel. Luckily, I have friends who are willing to write whatever scripts I need (within reason, of course).

 

[Hank2211]

I have an internist who doesn't want to give me anything for travel. Luckily, I have friends who are willing to write whatever scripts I need (within reason, of course).

Doesn’t seem terribly reasonable . . . We’re talking about antibiotics here . . .not fentanyl!

Time for a more reasonable doc!

 

[Charles de Ribeau]

Keep your clothes sprayed with permethrin, it works.

Do you keep applying while you are there or just before you go?

 

[Charles de Ribeau]

Reb, where in RSA are you headed? For tick fever, you can wait until you have a tick bite or take ahead of time to prevent. I don't think any area of RSA has malaria, so not so important to be on the Doxy as a preventative for that.

Typhoid and Hep A vaccines are not a bad idea if you've not already had them.

Also, Hep B - just in case. You can't be too careful in third world countries. Tetanus shot current. For more info, look at the CDC website for info about vaccines for travelers.

FYI - the risk of complications from the yellow fever vaccine goes up significantly once past age 60.

 

[Charles de Ribeau]

Doesn’t seem terribly reasonable . . . We’re talking about antibiotics here . . .not fentanyl!

Time for a more reasonable doc!

I know. I don't even mention it to him anymore, otherwise I get a lecture about antibiotic resistence. Other than that he has an excellent reputation.

 

[Charles de Ribeau]

There is a vaccine for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. If there one for TBF?

 

[sestoppelman]

Do you keep applying while you are there or just before you go?

Never have, not to say it isn't a good idea perhaps. Usually a good spraying of the stuff is supposed to sustain a number of washes.

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

Quick follow up. Just finished 14 days of Doxy. The first 2 days was miserable
Started feeling better day 3 and have been back to normal routine since day 4. Bite spot has healed up and ok. Best news is blood work came back negative for everything they ran.

 

[Mike Van Horn]

There is a vaccine for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. If there one for TBF?

Have the RMSF, at least that is what they think it was or is. Not fun. Never really leaves your system either. Still get relapses years later. But they don't put me in the hospital like the first time. Sure wipe me out for a couple days though

 

[Hank2211]

I know. I don't even mention it to him anymore, otherwise I get a lecture about antibiotic resistence. Other than that he has an excellent reputation.

I once heard the same from my doc. He got a bit of a lecture back on how we in the developed world are not the problem. Go to much of South America, for example, and antibiotics can be bought over the counter. People take them like candy. Then there’s the agricultural industries . . .

So denying a course of Cipro or Doxy to someone going to the wilds of Africa, where you may be days or longer from a doctor, and drugs may not even be available, makes no sense. Like trying to plug a dime size hole in a dam when water is pouring over the top.

Sort of like my not eating meat to prevent climate change. As China starts a new coal fired generating plant.

I said it nicely of course . . . I like my doc and don’t want to look for a new one! But it worked.

 

[Dewald]

There is a vaccine for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. If there one for TBF?

Nope

 

[Philip Glass]

This is why I always spray my clothes with sawyer brand permethrin. I had some ticks on me last year as some of my clothes were not sprayed. Big mistake. One bit me but got it off quickly. Tick bite fever is real bad and can have lasting symptoms.
Philip