Symptoms:

The time between the tick bite and when symptoms occur is about 7 - 9 days. This is called the incubation period.

Symptoms may seem like the flu (influenza), and may include:

• Chills
• Fever
• Headache
• Muscle aches
• Nausea

Other possible symptoms:

• Diarrhea
• Fine pinhead-sized areas of bleeding in the skin (petechial rash)
• Flat red rash (maculopapular rash)
• General ill feeling (malaise)

A rash appears in fewer than half of cases. Sometimes, the disease may be mistaken for Rocky Mountain spotted fever. The symptoms are often quite general, but patients are sometimes sick enough to see a doctor.

Signs and tests:

The doctor will do a physical exam and check your vital signs, including:

• Blood pressure
• Heart rate
• Temperature

Other tests include:

• Complete blood count (CBC)
• Granulocyte stain
• Fluorescent antibody test