Prophylaxis and Treatment
Prophylaxis.—Dermacentor andersoni requires a long time to become attached and feed on the human host—at least one or more hours—hence inspection of one’s person for ticks after returning from exposure and removing those found would tend to prevent infection.
When these ticks attach themselves to the wool of grazing sheep, 87% seem to die, possibly from the effect of the fat in the wool.
Again such sheep can be dipped for further destruction of the ticks.
Fig. 141.—Female D. andersoni. 2. Head showing (a) hypostome, (b) chelicerae, (c) palps. 3. Male.
Treatment.—Just as with typhus fever the most important point in the care of the patient is good nursing. The room should be darkened and quiet maintained. Cool sponging lowers the temperature and is a tonic for the nervous disorders. An ice cap is good for the headache. The diet should be liquid and water should be given freely on account of the tendency to renal involvement.
There is a tendency to heart failure so that the recumbent position is demanded and cardiac stimulants indicated.
Michie and Parsons found sodium citrate of greatest benefit in treating infected guinea pigs and recommended it for human cases. It is to be used intravenously and about 60 cc. of a 5% solution given twice daily. Immune sera were tried out by Ricketts, but without result.