Rickettsiae are often associated with a very specific ticks. The incubation period for Ehrlichiosis is approximately 9 days from the time of tick bite . A maculopapular or petechial rash appears in over half the cases and the disease may be mistaken for Rocky Mountain spotted fever. The symptoms are often quite general but the infected individual is usually sick enough to seek medical attention. Ehrlichiosis can be fatal.
Recovery takes three weeks.
The organism is sensitive to tetracycline and treatment results in improvement in 24 to 48 hours. A granulocyte stain shows clumps of bacteria inside white blood cells. Liver enzymes show elevated transaminase. A fluorescent antibody test is positive for E. chaffeensis or granulocytic Ehrlichia. Treatment Rickettsial diseases, in general, are all responsive to a group of antibiotics belonging to the tetracyclines.