RI tick Disease
 

Boston.com

Heads up. Nasty Stuff

My wife had it about 3 years ago. The symptoms were very much like those of malaria. She was in CCH for 2 days being treated for it. The Cape is one of the hotbeds of it---CCH sees 2-3 cases a week.

The good news is, it's easily treatable with antibiotics, and it can lead to earlier detection of Lyme if you experience the symptoms. It poses no serious threat unless a person doesn't have a spleen.

I also had it about three years ago, kicked my arse. Blood banks will no longer take my blood.

I got it in Montauk last fall. Ended up in the ER. Took the malaria type drug to kick it out of me. Had to have my blood analyzed daily for a week until all my blood function indicators returned to normal. Got deathly ill until my body and the drugs fought it off. Will be in Montauk for two months of daily fishing again this fall. Will be using repellent regularly. Get help immediately if you come down with high fever/heavy sweating/freezing-at-night shaking chills.