Developer site: The content shown here is test data.

MyEClinic
MyEClinic
Health Dictionary AI Health Chat Find an Online Doctor
A serene Zen garden with raked sand and smooth stones, symbolising clarity and calm

Health Dictionary

Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.

Back to skin conditions

Tularemia differential diagnosis

Introduction

Overview

Overview

General symptoms reported within the early stages tularemia often resemble those of other tick-borne diseases. These symptoms include fever, chills, headache, and other non-specific flu like symptoms. Later stages of tularemia may include pneumonic clinical manifestations and ulcers in the epidermal tissue.[1]

Differentiating Tularemia from other Tick-borne diseases

Differentiating Tularemia from other Tick-borne diseases

The following table differentiates between variations of tularemia and their associated manifestations. [1]

Clinical Manifestation Transmission
Ulceroglandular Skin ulcer forms as the site of infection as well as general flu like symptoms and swelling of regional lymph glands.
Glandular Resemble clinical manifestations of Ulceroglandular infection without the presence of a skin ulcer.
Oculoglandular Irritation and inflammation of the eye with swelling of lymph glands.
Pneumonic and Typhoidal Most dangerous form of tularemia. Characterized by cough, chest pain, and breathing difficulties. May also include all general flu like symptoms, without localization symptoms.

The following table differentiates between general symptoms associated with tularemia and other similarly presenting, tick borne diseases.

Disease Organism Vector Symptoms
Bacterial Infection
Borreliosis (Lyme Disease) [2] Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex and B. mayonii I. scapularis, I. pacificus, I. ricinus, and I. persulcatus Erythema migrans, flu-like illness(fatigue, fever), Lyme arthritis, neuroborreliosis, and carditis.
Relapsing Fever [3] Tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF): Borrelia duttoni, Borrelia hermsii, and Borrelia parkerii Ornithodoros species Consistently documented high fevers, flu-like illness, headaches, muscular soreness or joint pain, altered mental status, painful urination, rash, and rigors.
Louse-borne relapsing fever (LBRF) : Borrelia recurrentis Pediculus humanus
Typhus (Rickettsia)
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Rickettsia rickettsii Dermacentor variabilis, Dermacentor andersoni Fever, altered mental status, myalgia, rash, and headaches.
Helvetica Spotted Fever [4] Rickettsia helvetica Ixodes ricinus Rash: spotted, red dots. Respiratory symptoms (dyspnea, cough), muscle pain, and headaches.
Ehrlichiosis (Anaplasmosis) [5] Ehrlichia chaffeensis, Ehrlichia ewingii Amblyomma americanum, Ixodes scapularis Fever, headache, chills, malaise, muscle pain, nausea, confusion, conjunctivitis, or rash (60% in children and 30% in adults).
Tularemia [6] Francisella tularensis Dermacentor andersoni, Dermacentor variabilis Ulceroglandular, glandular, oculoglandular, oroglandular, pneumonic, typhoidal.
Viral Infection
Tick-borne meningoencephalitis [7] TBEV virus Ixodes scapularis, I. ricinus, I. persulcatus Early Phase: Non-specific symptoms including fever, malaise, anorexia, muscle pains, headaches, nausea, and vomiting. Second Phase: Meningitis symptoms, headache, stiff neck, encephalitis, drowsiness, sensory disturbances, and potential paralysis.
Colorado Tick Fever [8] CTF virus Dermacentor andersoni Common symptoms include fever, chills, headache, body aches, and lethargy. Other symptoms associated with the disease include sore throat, abdominal pain, vomiting, and a skin rash. A biphasic fever is a hallmark of Colorado Tick Fever and presents in nearly 50% of infected patients.
Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever CCHF virus Hyalomma marginatum, Rhipicephalus bursa Initially infected patients will likely feel a few of the following symptoms: headache, high fever, back and joint pain, stomach pain, vomiting, flushed face, red throat petechiae of the palate, and potentially changes in mood as well as sensory perception.
Protozoan Infection
Babesiosis [9] Babesia microti, Babesia divergens, Babesia equi Ixodes scapularis, I. pacificus Non-specific flu-like symptoms.
References

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Signs and Symptoms of Tularemia. http://www.cdc.gov/tularemia/signssymptoms/index.html Accessed March 1, 2016
  2. ↑ Lyme Disease Information for HealthCare Professionals. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2015). http://www.cdc.gov/lyme/healthcare/index.html Accessed on December 30, 2015
  3. ↑ Relapsing Fever Information. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2015). http://www.cdc.gov/relapsing-fever/ Accessed on December 30, 2015
  4. ↑ Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Information. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2015). http://www.cdc.gov/rmsf/ Accessed on December 30, 2015
  5. ↑ Disease index General Information (2015). http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/babesiosis/health_professionals/index.html Accessed on December 30, 2015
  6. ↑ Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Information. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2015). \http://www.cdc.gov/tularemia/index.html Accessed on December 30, 2015
  7. ↑ General Disease Information (TBE). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2015). http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/tbe/ Accessed on December 30, 2015
  8. ↑ General Tick Deisease Information. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2015). http://www.cdc.gov/coloradotickfever/index.html Accessed on December 30, 2015
  9. ↑ Babesiosis. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2015). http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/babesiosis/disease.htmlAccessed December 8, 2015.

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Ilan Dock, B.S.