N.J. Confirms Woman Died from State's First Case of Rare Tick-Borne Disease

[Offshore]

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/201...nty_woman.html

Five months after the death of a Warren County woman, the state Department of Health has confirmed she died of a rare tick-borne disease never before seen in New Jersey. Her death in early May was caused by the Powassan virus, an illness so uncommon that just eight other cases have been diagnosed in the United States this year. The unnamed 51-year-old woman had developed symptoms that included fever, headache, a rash, and encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain. She was taken and treated at an unnamed hospital and died there, a health department spokesman said.

Granted its a very rare tick-borne virus in NJ, but it seems irresponsible that her physician seemed to have waited 6 months to report this to the NJ Department of Health and that the state in turn decided not to make an announcement due to "tick season being over". Anyway, just a heads up for my fellow NJ hikers. No reason to panic, just take the usual reasonable precautions for ticks.

[HikerMom58]

That's awful news but thanks for sharing this Offshore. We need to be informed. I feel bad for the woman and her family.

[Tri-Pod Bob]

There are other tick borne diseases also here in the northeast to be concerned about. Babesia, ehrlichia, & anaplasmosia. I had the bad luck in October 2012, to get bitten by a tick that gave me Lyme, ehrlichiosis, & anaplasmosis. It was the 1st documented human case of anaplasmosis in the state, according to the infectious disease specialist I was seeing at Baystate Medical Center. I was a healthy, full time firefighter at the time & had to retire in April due to the debilitating effects. I lost over 20 lbs in 6 months & experienced arthritic pain in every joint of my body. Started feeling fairly human again after a month long dosage of antibiotics & OTC pain meds. Never saw the tick or had the familiar 'bulls eye' rash. I thought I had a flu bug. If you think you have the flu, but don't have respiratory issues with it, get to the MD & insist on a full spectrum titer for all of the above!! The sooner it's treated, the better off you'll be.

[Blissful]

Which is why hikers must be vigilant when it comes to safeguarding themselves from these pests. To many hikers walking around shirtless, for instance, in Shenandoah in tall grass. Ridiculous.