Tincup
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5829
posted
I didn't know Babesiosis was once called "Nantucket Fever". Ya learn something every day!
It's nice to see articles like this.... and we should/could encourage more. If you want to comment on it.. see the site posted below.
Tick-borne illnesses in South County highest recorded since 2002
by Brenna McCabe October 27, 2006
The number of Triple E cases that land in intensive care units of hospitals do not compare to the fifty or so cases of babesiosis and anaplasmosis that place people in serious conditions each year, said professor and director of the URI Center for Vector-Borne Disease, Thomas Mather.
� Copyright 2006 The Good 5 Cent Cigar, Student Newspaper at the University of Rhode Island, South Kingston, RI
Most University of Rhode Island students would not remember the wet summer months of 1982, which were recreated this year, producing one of the wettest climates for Rhode Island in almost 25 years.
For Rhode Islanders, with the increased moisture comes an increase in the abundance of pesky deer ticks, also known as black-legged ticks, which made a 7.1 percent jump from last year's surveillance numbers.
Because the Rhode Island tick population is on the rise, tick-borne illnesses have become more of a danger to the South County population.
Now, professor and director of the URI Center for Vector-Borne Disease Thomas Mather is trying to make students and residents more aware of the problem.
"Our big initiative right now is prevention," Mather said. "We're really working on increasing public awareness - getting to people who are at greater risk first and then working our way down."
The URI entomologist described this year's tick "report card," or tick surveillance surveys, as showing too large of an increase to be ignored. According to Mather, this past season has accumulated the highest numbers since 2002.
"It's most likely related to the fact that we had a very moist May, June and July," he said.
, created by Mather and his research team as part of their tick-borne illness prevention program, showed a correspondence between the rise of lyme disease and certain months of the year when ticks are small in size.
The site also shows that South County contains one of the largest tick populations in the state, leaving residents at higher risk to contract illnesses like lyme disease and lesser-known parasites like babesiosis and anaplasmosis.
"If we could get diseases that people can remember and pronounce, maybe they would be more aware [of the problem]," Mather joked. "I've decided to name Babesiosis it's old name: Nantucket Fever. Doesn't that sound sexier?"
Babesiosis, a malaria-like parasite that destroys red blood cells, can be fatal.
"People typically feel anemic and get really tired," Mather said, describing some of the symptoms of the disease. "We've already had one fatal case this year."
There have been more fatalities from babesiosis in the past 10 years than Triple E and the West Nile virus combined, Mather said.
"Most Rhode Islanders are aware of [problems with] mosquitoes ... they have their own calling cards because they have a buzz and an itchy bite," he said. "Ticks fall under the radar."
Mather's research showed that, on average, there have been about 40 cases of babesiosis each year during the past five years, including five fatalities in the last six years. Even if the disease doesn't lead to death, Mather said people may not realize the level of suffering the illnesses can still produce.
"I am told that the headaches [from anaplasmosis] are like being smacked across the back of your eyes with a baseball bat," Mather said.
The number of Triple E cases that land in intensive care units of hospitals do not compare to the fifty or so cases of babesiosis and anaplasmosis that place people in serious conditions each year, he said.
Mather added that it might seem like the prevention program is going in the wrong direction in light of the high numbers, but pointed out URI researchers now have the correct tools to aggressively battle Rhode Island's tick problem.
The one thing that will be crucial to their success, Mather said, is the help of Rhode Islanders, including students.
"They need to be aware that when we venture around the woods, even on campus ... they need to check themselves for ticks," he said.
Mather said that although smaller ticks can be a greater danger because of their size, ignoring large ticks can be just as harmful.
"I always tell my students that ticks come in small, medium and large sizes," he said. "Obviously, any tick that swells up with blood is going to be big."
To prevent tick-borne illnesses, Mather suggested checking waistlines, areas surrounding clothes constrictions and behind the arms after trekking near or in wooded areas.
posted
My usual response when people look at me blankly when I talk about babesiosis is to call it "tick malaria - sorta like EEE...." because of the brain swelling and weirdness you have with babs.. love dharma
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