One California mom is sharing an important reminder for parents: cover up if you’re going to a pumpkin patch this fall.
Jennifer Velasquez, 27, of San Diego, recently posted an old picture of her leg on Facebook after getting bit by a tick in 2015.
“About four days after I went to the pumpkin patch, I began to notice spots and have joint pain,” she tells Global News.
After being bitten, Velasquez says she contracted Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) — a bacterial disease that’s caused by an infected tick, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes.
“I could hardly walk, my hair was falling out in clumps, I was in so much pain… I wanted to die. It was awful,” she says.
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In the photo, Velasquez’s leg is covered in red rashes, a common symptom of RMSF. And with more than 11,000 shares on Facebook, she wanted to stress her post wasn’t about discouraging people to go to pumpkin patches.
“The message is too important and I have many people contacting me who have been through the same thing, looking for advice on how to recover,” she wrote.
Rocky Mountain spotted fever
According to the CDC, early signs of RMSF include fever and headaches. Other symptoms include rash, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, lack of appetite and muscle pain.
The looks of these rashes can be varied as well — some look like red splotches and others have pinpoint dots.
Velasquez adds when she went to to the ER, she was originally sent home with pain medication and ordered rest. But as time passed, things got worse.
“My joint pain was unbearable and my head felt like it was going to explode,” Velasquez says, adding she went to the doctor a few times but couldn’t get a proper diagnosis.
After six weeks, she was finally diagnosed with RMSF, and after two years, things are turning up.
“I’m mostly better now, but I still deal with autoimmune and GI issues that I didn’t have before.”
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In 2015, researchers at Dalhousie University said that RMSF is caused by the rickettsia bacteria, and about 60 per cent of dog ticks that were tested carried the bacteria, the CBC reports.
Ticks in Canada
Joseph Mancuso, manager of health protection for the Regional Municipality of York in southern Ontario, says it’s normal to see tick activity during this time of the year in Canada.
Ticks, in general, have been a concern for Lyme disease risk across Canada, and according to Mancuso, people can be at risk during fall and even in the winter if the weather is mild.
Blacklegged ticks, the most common tick in Canada, are found in forests, wooded areas, grass and leaf piles. Anyone participating in outdoor activities — from camping to hiking to golfing — should be cautious of tick bites. On Tuesday, the York region confirmed four blacklegged ticks were found in the region.
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Blacklegged ticks are also spreading in eastern and central Canada, but other areas of risk include British Columbia and Manitoba.
While the risk of getting RMSF in Canada is rare, it’s still important for Canadians to know what it is.
How to stay safe
If you are planning to do any outdoor activities this season, make sure you are aware if there have been any tick sightings in the region.
Mancuso suggests wearing light-coloured clothing to spot ticks, since many of them are the size of poppy seeds.
Wear closed-toe footwear, have a buddy system to do a thorough search for areas you can’t reach and use insect repellent before you go out.
And if you do find a tick, remove it with a tweezer and take it to your local public health agency — they will be able to eventually determine if the tick is carrying any diseases.
arti.patel@globalnews.ca