Pine County 3rd Highest in Lyme Disease

Cases of tickborne disease continue to rise in Minnesota with Pine County having the 3rd highest level of Lyme Disease. The blacklegged tick, also known as the deer tick, is the main tick of public health concern as it can spread several diseases such as Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis.

Recommended Treatment for Ehrlichiosis or Anaplasmosis

Doxycycline and other antibiotics are the first-line treatment for adults and children of all ages: Adults: 100 mg of doxycycline every 12 hours. Children under 45 kg (100 lbs.): 2.2 mg/kg body weight given twice a day of doxycycline.

Patients with suspected ehrlichiosis should be treated with doxycycline until at least 3 days after the subsidence of fever and until evidence of clinical improvement, typically 5-7 days.

Treatment Duration

When treated with doxycycline, fever generally subsides within 24–48 hours.

• The use of doxycycline to treat suspected rickettsia disease in children is standard practice recommended by both CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Infectious Diseases.

• A recent study found that short courses of doxycycline (5–10 days) did not result in staining of permanent teeth or enamel hypoplasia. Use doxycycline as the first-line treatment for suspected ehrlichiosis in patients of all ages.

Sources: MN Dept. of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Image Courtesy of Unsplash Photographer: Erik Karits