African tick bite fever is a bacterial infection caused by bites from ticks that are carriers of the bacterium Rickettsia africae. The ticks that spread tick-bite fever live mainly in rural areas and, in particular, environments that boast long, grassy, and bushy habitats that offer these insects shelter and protection from the sun and high temperatures.
The bite site on the skin usually develops a red skin sore with a dark centre which is sometimes referred to as an eschar. It can take anything between four and ten days for symptoms to appear after the initial bite has occurred.
The peak for infections is between November and April, and regions of sub-Saharan Africa, the West Indies, Australia, New Zealand, and Polynesia are where travellers are most likely to encounter these disease-spreading ticks.
The symptoms of African tick bite fever can be mild to severe, and in some cases, African tick bite fever can even prove fatal. Serious illness is usually experienced by those with underlying health conditions, compromised immunity, or the elderly.
This is why treatment should not be delayed, and medical advice should be sought if a deterioration in health is experienced following tick bites sustained in areas of the world known to be habitats for African tick bite fever-carrying insects.
General symptoms include headaches, fever, muscle pain, skin rashes, and swollen lymph nodes. Some of the more advanced symptoms, which are complications of African tick bite fever, such as pneumonia, deep vein thrombosis, gangrene, and septicaemia, are most likely to be experienced if treatment is delayed. However, these severe symptoms and complications are thankfully rare.
Ticks that carry the bacteria Rickettsia africae are the insects that cause African tick bite fever. Not all of the species of tick responsible for this illness are carriers, but those that are infected can pass the bacteria straight into the bloodstream of humans from bites. Those with weakened immune systems and the elderly are at risk of developing more serious symptoms.
Risk factors include visiting countries where these ticks are found. Living in or near habitats that are breeding environments for ticks, such as grassy and bushy habitats, also increases the risk of encountering these insects.
If individuals live in or visit such areas of the world, they are at the highest risk of being bitten by these ticks from April to November, which is when the tick population is at its highest and most active.
Diagnosis is from a physical examination of the bite site and an analysis of the symptoms an individual is experiencing. Serological tests for antibodies produced to fight the bacteria can confirm a diagnosis of African tick bite fever.
Broad-spectrum antibiotics such as Doxycycline are the treatment of choice for those diagnosed with African tick bite fever. Treatment with antibacterials is usually for between five and seven days.
A common-sense approach is best for the prevention of being infected by tick bites. Covering up the skin and using insect repellents when entering tick-laden environments can prevent insect bites from occurring. Avoiding tick habitats altogether is better still.