ABSTRACT
Colorado tick fever virus is transmitted by Dermacentor andersoni ticks. In Canada, these ticks are found in the southern regions of British Columbia (Rocky Mountains) and Alberta, as well as southwestern Saskatchewan. Colorado tick fever should be clinically suspected in patients presenting with a biphasic febrile illness and leukopenia following tick exposure in the appropriate geographic area.
Subject(s)
Arachnid Vectors/virology , Colorado Tick Fever/diagnosis , Colorado tick fever virus/genetics , Dermacentor/virology , Tick Bites/diagnosis , Aged , Animals , Colorado Tick Fever/drug therapy , Colorado Tick Fever/physiopathology , Colorado Tick Fever/virology , Colorado tick fever virus/classification , Colorado tick fever virus/isolation & purification , Doxycycline/therapeutic use , Fever/physiopathology , Humans , Leukopenia/physiopathology , Male , Saskatchewan , Tick Bites/drug therapy , Tick Bites/physiopathology , Tick Bites/virologyABSTRACT
Signs and symptoms related to the gastrointestinal tract and liver may provide important clues for the diagnosis of various tickborne diseases prevalent in different geographic areas of the United States. We review clinical and laboratory features that may be helpful in detecting a tickborne infection. Physicians evaluating patients who live in or travel to areas where tickborne diseases are endemic and who present with an acute febrile illness and gastrointestinal manifestations should maintain a high index of suspicion for one of these disease entities, particularly if the patient has received a tick bite. If detected early, many of these potentially serious illnesses can be easily and effectively treated, thereby avoiding serious morbidity and even death.
Subject(s)
Gastrointestinal Diseases/etiology , Liver Diseases/etiology , Tick-Borne Diseases/physiopathology , Babesiosis/physiopathology , Colorado Tick Fever/physiopathology , Ehrlichiosis/physiopathology , Gastrointestinal Diseases/pathology , Humans , Liver Diseases/pathology , Lyme Disease/physiopathology , Q Fever/physiopathology , Tularemia/physiopathology , United StatesABSTRACT
Many infections have an impact on the hematologic system. There also are many noninfectious processes associated with abnormalities of the blood and iatrogenic causes such as pharmacologic therapy that also may affect the marrow or circulating cellular elements. Viral disease may impact on one or more components of blood, and familiarity with these associations can assist in anticipating the course of disease and reducing the need to seek out other etiologies for the usually transient hematologic abnormalities that often occur in patients with viral infections.
Subject(s)
Hematologic Diseases/virology , Virus Diseases/complications , Child , Colorado Tick Fever/blood , Colorado Tick Fever/diagnosis , Colorado Tick Fever/physiopathology , Erythema Infectiosum/blood , Erythema Infectiosum/diagnosis , Erythema Infectiosum/physiopathology , HIV Infections/blood , HIV Infections/diagnosis , HIV Infections/physiopathology , Hematologic Diseases/diagnosis , Herpesviridae Infections/blood , Herpesviridae Infections/diagnosis , Herpesviridae Infections/physiopathology , Herpesvirus 4, Human , Humans , Tumor Virus Infections/blood , Tumor Virus Infections/diagnosis , Tumor Virus Infections/physiopathology , Virus Diseases/diagnosisSubject(s)
Arachnid Vectors , Lyme Disease , Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever , Ticks , Animals , Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use , Colorado Tick Fever/physiopathology , Humans , Lyme Disease/drug therapy , Lyme Disease/epidemiology , Lyme Disease/physiopathology , North America , Prognosis , Q Fever/drug therapy , Q Fever/physiopathology , Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever/drug therapy , Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever/epidemiology , Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever/physiopathology , Tick Paralysis/physiopathology , Tularemia/drug therapy , Tularemia/physiopathology , Tularemia/transmissionABSTRACT
Certain features of Colorado tick fever (CTF) virus and the disease it causes may be relevant to studies on bluetongue virus (BTV), or other orbiviruses. Rapid and easy detection of viral antigen in infected tissues and peripheral blood cells by immunofluorescence staining facilitate diagnosis of the disease. The prolonged (3-4 months) viremia is due to persistent intracellular infection, particularly of erythrocytes, in which the virus is protected from antibody or other host defense mechanisms. This results in more efficient maintenance of the virus cycle in nature, but might lead to adverse effects in the human host. Clues to understanding chronic viral infections or viral immunosuppression might be gained by further research on CTF and other orbiviruses.
