Resources For Providers Archives - Colorado Tick-Borne Disease Awareness Association (COTBDAA)

Research Study Recruitment: Congenital Lyme Disease

December 31, 2023

Blog, Lyme Disease, Resources For Parents & Children, Resources For Patients, Resources For Providers

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Pregnant participants needed for study! Children’s National Hospital – Congenital Infection Program has launched a pilot study being led by Sarah Mulkey, MD, PhD, “Pregnancy and Early Neurodevelopmental Outcomes Following In Utero Lyme Disease Exposure.” [perfectpullquote align="left" bordertop="false" cite="" link="" color="" class="" size=""]The study is actively recruiting pregnant volunteers to participate in questionnaires, one fetal MRI and ultrasound, one infant MRI and ultrasound, two in-person neurology evaluations, and two blood draws.[/perfectpullquote] This study will assess the feasibility of evaluation for outcomes of pregnancies of women affected by Lyme disease infection. Brain development of fetuses, infants, and children exposed to Lyme disease in utero will be assessed. Infants will be followed from birth to age 18 months. Study participants will be reimbursed for their travel up to 230 miles each...

Congenital Lyme Lyme Lyme disease Pregnancy Study recruitment

Children & Tick-Borne Disease

November 6, 2016

Resources For Educators, Resources For Parents & Children, Resources For Providers

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Children & Tick-Borne Disease Children are at risk of tick exposures both within Colorado and when traveling out of state, or country. Children can be exposed through play, sports, camps, school field trips, contact with pets and other family activities. Ticks that transmit Lyme and increasing numbers of co-infections are as tiny as a poppy seed and may be easily missed. Encouraging patients, especially parents, to practice prevention and conduct ticks checks for their children is a critical part of preventative health care. Pregnancy Some diseases, including Lyme, Bartonella, Babesia, Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever, and others may be transmitted congenitally from mother to child during pregnancy. In a recent case report, Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever (TBRF) in a pregnant host was complicated by Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction requiring critical care. Women are encouraged to seek...

Signs and Symptoms of Tick-Borne Disease

November 6, 2016

Resources For Patients, Resources For Providers

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Signs and Symptoms of Tick-Borne Disease There over 20 tick-borne diseases/conditions currently known to occur throughout the US and many of these diseases have impacted Colorado residents and/or their pets. As a rule, the sooner a tick-borne disease is properly diagnosed and treated, the better! Lack of timely, accurate, diagnosis and treatment can result in adverse outcomes for patients including extended treatment, hospitalization, disability or death. Tick-borne illnesses may manifest in vague, classic or dramatic and unusual presentations. Many of the tick-borne infections can initially present as a flu-like syndrome that are often misdiagnosed as viral other illnesses. Initial symptoms common to many tick-borne diseases are often flu-like and may include: Fever (may be high and/or relapsing in nature) Chills Sweats Rashes (multiple presentations) Headache Stiff neck Muscle-aches Fatigue Nausea/vomiting For more information regarding the...

Diagnosing Tick-Borne Disease

October 28, 2016

Resources For Patients, Resources For Providers

[vc_row][vc_column width="2/3"][vc_column_text] Diagnosing Tick-Borne Disease There over 20 tick-borne diseases/conditions, currently known to occur throughout the US and many of these diseases have impacted Colorado residents and/or their pets. Lyme disease is the most reported tick-borne disease and has been reported in all of the 50 United States. Companion Animal Parasite Council reports increasing numbers of Lyme disease, Anaplasmosis and Ehrlichiosis in dogs nationwide and in Colorado. The sooner a tick-borne disease or condition is properly diagnosed and treated, the better. Lack of timely, accurate, diagnosis and treatment may result in adverse outcomes for patients of tick-borne diseases/conditions including extended treatment, hospitalization, disability or death. Awareness of potential tick exposures, as well as awareness of the signs and symptoms of the multiple and variable diseases/conditions and the limitations of laboratory testing is critical...

Patient Testing

November 6, 2016

Resources For Patients, Resources For Providers

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Testing for Tick-Borne Disease Testing for tick-borne diseases is variable in both availability and reliability depending on the infection. Often patients may require treatment before laboratory tests can return a confirmation of disease. For some diseases, commercial tests are not yet available or diagnosis may depend on the experience of the pathologist reviewing a blood slide or tissue sample under a microscope. For others, antibodies may never develop to levels able to be detected by current testing methods. If you realize that you have been bitten by a tick and you have saved the tick, you may want to have your tick tested. Specialized testing laboratories offer some of the most sensitive and specific tests for many tick-borne diseases, however some diseases are still without reliable laboratory...

Treatment Guidelines

November 6, 2016

Resources For Patients, Resources For Providers

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Treatment Guidelines For some tick-borne diseases and conditions, treatment guidelines are well established for successful outcome. For others, recommended treatment guidelines are varied, disputed, or even non-existent. For information regarding individual disease treatment recommendations visit tick-borne diseases. Two Standards of Care for Lyme Disease: Two standards of care in regard to Lyme and other other tick-borne diseases has resulted in difficulty for both providers and patients to navigate diagnosis and treatment. This divide has resulted in a lawsuit filed in 2017 on behalf of Lyme disease patients who say they have been denied care and harmed under existing insurance and medical protocols. ILADS (International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society) Guidelines 2014 IDSA (Infectious Diseases Society of America) Guidelines 2020 The main difference between the guidelines of the IDSA and those...

Colorado State Reportable Tick-Borne Diseases

November 6, 2016

Resources For Providers

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Colorado State Reportable Tick-Borne Diseases There are over 20 tick-borne diseases/conditions currently known to occur throughout the US and that may impact Colorado residents and/or their pets at home or through travel. However, many tick-borne diseases that occur within the US in both humans and pets are not reportable within Colorado, so incidence and prevalence is difficult to monitor. The Colorado Department of Health and Environment has stated that "since so many of these diseases manifest as febrile illness with a non-specific constellation of symptoms that, yes, we believe they are routinely under reported. However, we believe that is because they are difficult to diagnose." Reporting also depends on laboratory capabilities, which are unreliable or unavailable in some cases, as well as compliance with Regulation 6 CCR...

Physician Training

November 6, 2016

Resources For Providers

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Physician Training Colorado is in need of more physicians and other medical care providers trained in the diagnosis and treatment Lyme and other tick-borne diseases/conditions. This same issue is widespread, limiting patient access to care in many parts of the country and world. Timely, accurate diagnosis and treatment is critical in creating favorable outcomes for patients. Many Coloradans already ill with neurological, chronic or untreated infections must drive hours or even travel out of state to receive access to evaluation, diagnosis and treatment. A variety of CME opportunities are available for physicians and other medical care providers to gain experience and training in the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme and other tick-Borne Disease: Several organizations offer opportunities for physicians and other medical care providers to expand their knowledge of...

Additional Resources

January 29, 2017

Resources For Patients, Resources For Providers

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Additional Resources Diagnosis and treatment of Lyme and other tick-borne diseases and conditions is often difficult due to the variable presentation. As these risks continue to grow, Coloradans are in need of medical care providers experienced in recognition, diagnosis and treatment of tick-borne diseases and conditions. We have provided some additional resources to help you navigate the often unrecognized and complex illnesses that can be acquired through the bite of a tick regardless of where you may live, work, play or travel. Federal Resources The following reports highlight the diseases, the risks, and the need for increased research; and better diagnostic tools, treatment and education: 2021 Reported County-Level Distribution of Lyme Disease Spirochetes, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto and Borrelia mayonii (Spirochaetales: Spirochaetaceae), in Host-Seeking Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) in the Contiguous United...

Additional Resources

Lyme Disease

Babesiosis

Anaplasmosis

Heartland Virus

Colorado Tick Fever

Borrelia miyamotoi

Ehrlichiosis

Powassan Virus

Rickettsia

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Tularemia

Tick Borne Relapsing Fever

STARI

Pacific Coast Tick Fever

Bourbon Virus

Bartonella

Q-Fever

Tick Paralysis

Prevention!

Resources For Providers