Missouri teen dies from tick-borne disease The Associated Press
CENTRALIA, Mo. | A 15-year-old girl has died from a rare but treatable tick-borne disease, officials said Thursday.
The Boone County medical examiners office identified the victim as Emily Powell, a Centralia High School freshman. The cause of death was erlichiosis, a bacterial illness. She died Wednesday, two days after being admitted to University Hospital in Columbia.
Symptoms of ehrlichiosis include fever, headache, fatigue and muscle aches, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control. Other signs and symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cough, joint pains, confusion and rashes.
Symptoms generally appear after an incubation period of five to 10 days following a tick bite. The disease, if detected early, can be treated with antibiotics.
State officials reported 117 cases of ehrlichiosis through mid-August, nearly three times the annual average. Higher-than usual rates of Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia and lyme disease are also being reported.
[ 31. August 2007, 09:16 AM: Message edited by: CaliforniaLyme ]
Posted by lymeladyinNY (Member # 10235) on :
It makes my heart sick to read about so many young people dying or severely disabled with tick-borne illness.
God bless her and her family.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
AGAIN??!!! That's two deaths of children in Missouri this season already !!!
Ehrlichiosis is rampant in this state!!
What a tragedy for that young woman and her FAMILY!!!! Posted by CaliforniaLyme (Member # 7136) on :
I know= is is just so WRONG.
Posted by savebabe (Member # 9847) on :
This is very sad.
I will pray the the families.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
.
[ 31. August 2007, 11:07 AM: Message edited by: Lymetoo ]
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
up
Posted by merrygirl (Member # 12041) on :
Should someone post this on the ABC website and Lyme comments or would that be inappropriate?
Just a thought- Melissa
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
hmmmm....I don't know.
Posted by Boomerang (Member # 7979) on :
Oh, how awful. Unbelievable that these kids are going untreated.
I feel so sorry for the family. What a terrible loss.
Posted by shellbabe (Member # 6948) on :
I saw this on the local news the other night.This is so terrible.Will this ever end???? This shouldn't happen to young children,to anyone really but with kids it just seems even more tragic. *sighs*
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