Ehrlichiosis is an infection passed through a tick bite. It can be deadly unless medicine is taken to treat it.
Ehrlichiosis is caused by specific bacteria. The bacteria are passed through the bite of a tick. The lonestar tick, deer tick, and dog tick are linked with this infection.
Things that may raise the risk of this infection are:
It may take 1 to 2 weeks for symptoms to happen. The first symptoms are like the flu:
Some people may also have a rash.
Copyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc.
You will be asked about your symptoms and health history. You will be asked if you have spent time in areas known for ticks. A physical exam will be done.
A blood test may be done to check for signs of ehrlichiosis.
Ehrlichiosis is treated with antibiotics.
To lower the chance of this infection:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov
Family Doctor—American Academy of Family Physicians
http://familydoctor.org
Health Canada
https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada.html
Public Health Agency of Canada
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca
Biggs HM, Behravesh CB, et al. Diagnosis and Management of Tickborne Rickettsial Diseases: Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Other Spotted Fever Group Rickettsioses, Ehrlichioses, and Anaplasmosis - United States. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2016 May 13;65(2):1-44.
Ehrlichiosis. American Academy of Family Physicians website. Available at: http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/diseases-conditions/ehrlichiosis.html. Updated September 19, 2017. Accessed November 25, 2019.
Ehrlichiosis. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/ehrlichiosis. Updated January 17, 2019. Accessed November 25, 2019.
Ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at:https://www.dynamed.com/condition/ehrlichiosis-and-anaplasmosis. Updated December 9, 2016. Accessed November 25, 2019.
Last reviewed September 2019 by EBSCO Medical Review Board James P. Cornell, MD Last Updated: 5/27/2020
EBSCO Information Services is fully accredited by URAC. URAC is an independent, nonprofit health care accrediting organization dedicated to promoting health care quality through accreditation, certification and commendation.
This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.
To send comments or feedback to our Editorial Team regarding the content please email us at healthlibrarysupport@ebsco.com. Our Health Library Support team will respond to your email request within 2 business days.