I think I have tick bite fever; in JNB now and my body probably has 50 to 100 bites. I get chills, then sweat profusely. I started Doxycycline yesterday (200 mg) and took 200 again this morning.

Also am taking Malerone. Might have missed it one day, but otherwise been taking a tablet a day.

I go in and out of feeling great, then crappy. I just fainted in the JNB airport after posting on the Bill Quimby thread. I started getting tunnel vision, EXTREMELY dizzy, and the next thing I know I was awake bathed in sweat.

I am on DL 201 tonight. Any thoughts? Would esp be interested in dr's opinions such as CR Butler.

Thanks.

Very sad to hear this.

I hope you get better.

I have had tick fever, and it is not very pleasant at all.

Going between extreme heat and extreme cold.

If you are also getting joint and muscle pain along with the fever and chills and headache it could well be TBF. It is basically like the flu on steroids.

Doxy is the best answer with LOTS of fluids and electrolytes and pain killer of choice for the pain.

Not sure when you were possibly exposed to mosquitoes, but the incubation period for Malaria is generally 7 to 14 days.

I had Tick bite fever after coming home from Zim last year. Stay on your meds and it will get better. Damn.

Consider not boarding your flight. You don't want convulsions, hallucinations, fainting, major dehydration, major fever, etc. on a 16 hour flight.

Hopefully a South African can chime in and give you the name of an MD you can trust around Kempton Park.

Something similar happened to my brother years ago on a flight from Nairobi to Paris. He had malaria, 108* fever, aching, hallucinations, dehydration. I would not want a similar experience to happen to anyone.

Thanks for the responses. I am okay now. I don't have a fever, am not hallucinating, etc. I am dehydrated, but drinking water. I got up and walked around and did fine.

I haven't flown out of Jo'burg for a few years but in previous flights they had those remote temperature scanners stationed before going thru security. I had a bit of a fever/upset stomach and was pulled aside. I was very concerned I would miss my flight home. I was relieved when they motioned me to a new line that was opening up and not to a closer inspection.

Drink lots of water and get an aisle seat. You may be getting up often. Good luck and safe travels.

Tick bite fever is usually with muscle aches. There are some blood tests that can be done with it, but typically those take a lot of time. Cardiac and neurological complications do exist, and sometimes they require chloramphenicol to treat (which can be difficult to get, as well as having some nasty potential side effects).

What you are describing is also not unusual for malaria.

If you have the time, checking in at a clinic in J-berg is not a bad idea, there is a quick malaria test they do in Africa.

My concern would be that if you have tick bite fever, with the fainting you could be having myocarditis with it. Doxycycline 100 mg twice a day is the recommended initial treatment (the twice a day maintains better average drug levels than daily dose regimen) for African tick bite fever, and J-berg will have more docs familiar with it than here stateside.

If you have something like global rescue, I would give them a call. I tend to be very cautious with these kinds of diseases and may be overcalling it a bit, but while our overall medical care is better, there is something to be said for familiarity with the disease. That being said, you have mentioned a couple of my ranger signs.

I’d be safe rather than sorry!

Well, I am at the gate, so here goes nothing...

Thanks for the help. I have felt okay for the last five hours. Have a dr appt Saturday.

Safe and hopefully a comfortable flight.

I, too have had tick bite fever. Keep on the meds. Sounds like the worst of it is behind you. Safe travels.
Bruce

quote:

What you are describing is also not unusual for malaria.

John,

Does the fever kick in at 6 hour intervals, peaking at anywhere between 102/105 Fahrenheit or does it rise and subside but never as low as 98.4?

Typical symptoms of Malaria will include profuse sweating at peak and near to bitter cold when it subsides.

Don't mess around with taking this or that drug - as Chris suggested, drop into the nearest chemist and ask for a self-test kit (don't need to go to a hospital) and do the test (finger prick) when the temperature is high.

Should it read positive I advise a course of Coartem - no side effects and you will be on the mend in 24hrs (3 day course).

Tick fever which is unpleasant, is not as dramatic as some people make it out - Malaria kills and is not to be taken lightly.

Cheers.

I was told to get on Doxycyclene immediately if you had any symptoms after finding tick bites.

This is the reason I take Doxy for both malaria and TBF prevention. Its not the best malaria prophy but it’s good enough, whereas the usual malaria meds do nothing for TBF prevention.

On my first safari to South Africa’s East Cape Province I got tick bite fever from a per tick. Same symptoms as you. Incredible weakness as you. Pretty much self diagnosed with help from this forum and internet info. My doctor had never heard of it but also used the no I brought to him to research my dilemma. He started me on antibiotics immediately while testing my blood. I did have it and felt better in a few days of antibiotics. MAKE SURE YOU ARE TESTED FOR BOTH. Either is nothing to take lightly. Hope this helped.

I forgot to mention that timing of episodes can vary depending on the person but as you it would come and go.

I got TBF 2 years ago coming back from South Africa. It cropped up on the flight home with a tick bite that turned black on my ankle, enlarged groin lymph nodes and fevers and chills. I am a MD and when I got into the states I picked up some doxycycline. It took about 48 hours to start feeling a lot better.
Next time I go I am going to take doxy with me.

TBF isn't as big a deal as it used to be.
There's a tombstone down the street from me
from a Civil War vet from Indiana that died from it.

Good luck and hope your flight goes well.
Let's hear about it once you get back and can.

George

Geez I would get a quick malaria test pronto. Easy as, drop blood on what looks like a pregnancy test stick with some reagent. Tells you which of three if you have it.

Used to do them on staff etc in Tanz, carried a five pack, treatment and, importantly, gloves.

Malaria can get really serious very quickly....

quote:

Originally posted by fulvio:

quote:

What you are describing is also not unusual for malaria.

John,

Does the fever kick in at 6 hour intervals, peaking at anywhere between 102/105 Fahrenheit or does it rise and subside but never as low as 98.4?

Typical symptoms of Malaria will include profuse sweating at peak and near to bitter cold when it subsides.

Don't mess around with taking this or that drug - as Chris suggested, drop into the nearest chemist and ask for a self-test kit (don't need to go to a hospital) and do the test (finger prick) when the temperature is high.

Should it read positive I advise a course of Coartem - no side effects and you will be on the mend in 24hrs (3 day course).

Tick fever which is unpleasant, is not as dramatic as some people make it out - Malaria kills and is not to be taken lightly.

Cheers.

Good advice from Fulvio & I'll add that it's a good idea to use dog tick & flea shampoo instead of shower gel from time to time when on safari but check the ingredients before you buy because some (but not all) can (I'm told) be toxic to humans.

If you find yourself trying to lick your own nuts, you're overdoing it.

Thanks guys. No issues on the Joburg flight. Just took another Doxy pill. I dont think I am getting high fever but I have definitey gone thru the chills and sweats. Thurs eve I woke up shivering uncontrollably. Will see what the doc says. On the plane to PHX now. BTW ATL is even more of a goat screw than it used to be with respect to guns.

I had TBF in 07. Came down with symptoms on the flight home. An entire Infectious Disease Group could not make the diagnosis. Turned to AR and my Zimbo friends provided me with the answer. Treated myself.

Jeff

I read in African Hunter a few years back that "Cipro" was the first line drug for combatting African tick fever. For what it's worth, I always carry Cipro with me when I go on safari.

quote:

Originally posted by shakari:
.

Good advice from Fulvio & I'll add that it's a good idea to use dog tick & flea shampoo instead of shower gel from time to time when on safari but check the ingredients before you buy because some (but not all) can (I'm told) be toxic to humans.

If you find yourself trying to lick your own nuts, you're overdoing it. [/QUOTE]


Damn you, Steve! I had a mouth full of water when I read your last line and I spit it everywhere. Talk about LAUGH OUT LOUD!!!

BAYTICOL

Its specific for ticks readily available in the RSA comes in a aerosol can. Has been around for years and is without a doubt the best prevention for ATBF !

.

Another one is to spray you trousers / legs with Peaceful Sleep ( available at Clicks, Checkers, Pick & Pay etc ) before you go out in the mornings.

Had TBF and malaria too many times. One of the 'lessor joys' of hunting Africa!

.

Yep, sounds like TBF. My wife and I both got it in South Africa in 2008 but the symptoms didn't appear until several days after we got back with me getting sick first. Doxy cured it.

quote:

Originally posted by RAC:
Yep, sounds like TBF. My wife and I both got it in South Africa in 2008 but the symptoms didn't appear until several days after we got back with me getting sick first. Doxy cured it.

I am feeling just about normal now; thanks for all the help and advice. BTW, my malaria test showed negative. Didn't think I had it based on lack of super high fever, but losing consciousness in the JNB airport kind of alarmed me.

Good to hear you are on the mend!

quote:

Originally posted by AnotherAZWriter:

quote:

Originally posted by RAC:
Yep, sounds like TBF. My wife and I both got it in South Africa in 2008 but the symptoms didn't appear until several days after we got back with me getting sick first. Doxy cured it.

I am feeling just about normal now; thanks for all the help and advice. BTW, my malaria test showed negative. Didn't think I had it based on lack of super high fever, but losing consciousness in the JNB airport kind of alarmed me.

Most folks are already a little dehydrated after a few days in Africa. Throw an infection, fever and sweats into the mix and presto lights out.

Glad you're feeling strong once again. Good news is next time you contract TBF it will be easier. By your third time it's like a mild hangover. Something to look forward to I suppose...

I can't stress this enough: Spray your boots, pants, shirt and top of your hat with Sawyer Permanone (or buy the new Stetson hunting hat treated with Permethrin). I've used this chemical for decades with no bites. It doesn't repel, it kills Ticks, Chiggers or Mosquito's when they come into contact with your treated clothing. It is NOT for skin. For skin use Avon Skin so Soft with repellent; powdered Sulfur or any skin repellent that doesn't have over 10% Deet (some can be allergic to Deet). Never take chances with Ticks. I've carried Sawyer or the old Coulston's to Africa and other countries many times.

quote:

Originally posted by L. David Keith:
I can't stress this enough: Spray your boots, pants, shirt and top of your hat with Sawyer Permanone (or buy the new Stetson hunting hat treated with Permethrin). I've used this chemical for decades with no bites. It doesn't repel, it kills Ticks, Chiggers or Mosquito's when they come into contact with your treated clothing. It is NOT for skin. For skin use Avon Skin so Soft with repellent; powdered Sulfur or any skin repellent that doesn't have over 10% Deet (some can be allergic to Deet). Never take chances with Ticks. I've carried Sawyer or the old Coulston's to Africa and other countries many times.

I use Permithrin on every trip to treat all my clothes. The only time I've ever been bit was when I rolled my sleeves up and a tick got on my untreated/bare forearm.

Glad you're feeling better.

I started throwing up severely about 3 days after arrival back home from a Zim safari back in 2012. Was positive I had contracted Malaria based on symptoms. It all passed within a couple of days. IDK, maybe just an odd bug or something a little off from our normal diet that we get exposed to over there from time to time.

Anyway, glad to hear you're fine now.

Old Africa cure: sweat it out, no drugs. Then you are immune. I got it 30 years ago, never since.

quote:

Old Africa cure: sweat it out, no drugs. Then you are immune. I got it 30 years ago, never since.

Not so sure about your theory Russ.

Back in 1978 it put me in coma for a week and almost killed me; in those times there were no fancy modern drugs other than Quinine and after having diagnosed the situation at 50/50, the doc apparently shot me with doses fit for a horse.

I survived the ordeal and from that day forward somehow acquired an immunity to the parasite as I have never taken preventive medication nor have I been taken ill with recurrent bouts which is quite common and being in the same camp watching others around me regularly fall over like skittles.

Could it have been the result of the massive doses of Quinine that had been administered every 12 hours for almost 7 days?

I have no answer other than suspect it being the reason.