Tick-borne pulmonary disease: update on diagnosis and management.
Ticks are capable of transmitting viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and rickettsiae to man. Several of these tick-borne pathogens can lead to pulmonary disease. Characteristic clinical features, such as erythema migrans in Lyme disease, or spotted rash in a spotted fever group disease, may serve as important diagnostic clues. Successful management of tick-borne diseases depends on a high index of suspicion and recognition of their clinical features. Patients at risk for tick bites may be coinfected with two or more tick-borne pathogens. A Lyme vaccine has recently become available for use in the United States. Disease prevention depends on the avoidance of tick bites. When patients present with respiratory symptoms and a history of a recent tick bite or a characteristic skin rash, a differential diagnosis of a tick-borne pulmonary disease should be considered. Early diagnosis and appropriate antibiotic therapy for these disorders lead to greatly improved outcomes.
Faul
J L
JL
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Stanford University Medical Center, Palo Alto, CA 94305, USA.
Doyle
R L
RL
Kao
P N
PN
Ruoss
S J
SJ
D000818:Animals; D001096:Arachnid Vectors; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D017282:Tick-Borne Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D013987:Ticks