About being bitten in hard to reach places....

My childhood was spent running and playing in the veld and I should be immune to tick fever by now. Fortunately I have only mild symptoms after a recent visit to Cape Town.

· The incubation period (the period between being infected and displaying symptoms) is about five to seven days.

· Symptoms of tick bite infection may include fever, headache, malaise and a skin rash.

· There is often an eschar at the site of the tick bite. This is a black mark that looks like a small ulcer (2-5mm in diameter) with a black centre or scab.

· Severity of illness can vary considerably. This infection can be easily treated with antibiotics such as doxycycline or tetracycline.

· Measures to prevent the infection are generally common sense, such as wearing insect repellents, long trousers and sleeves.

More info:
http://jhbhiking.org.za/cms/index.php?_qnz