Deer Ticks and Babesia, by Wayne Gross

​My firsthand experience with a tick-borne microscopic parasite called Babesia, which causes the disease Babesiosis, is not meant to deter people from enjoying the great outdoors and hiking our favorite trails and areas, but to educate them. I was familiar with Lyme disease, but I had never heard of this specific condition. It's rare, with fewer than 3,000 cases throughout the United States each year.

Having returned from a Scouting trip, I had unbeknownst to me been bitten by a deer tick a couple of weeks prior to the trip. Upon my return on August 8, I came down with severe flu-like symptoms of severe headaches, fever, shaking chills, nausea, constipation, and dehydration. Over the following weekend, I experienced intermittent flu-like symptoms and thought I was improving. By Monday, August 11, I knew this was no ordinary flu, so I visited my family doctor, who referred me to the hospital. After a release from the hospital ER and a day later, fainting and collapsing, I had a trip back to the hospital by ambulance. This time, many more tests.

After numerous tests, the infectious disease doctor diagnosed it as babesiosis, a tick-borne microscopic parasite that consumes red blood cell platelets from the inside out. The normal range of platelets is 149,000 to 390,000 platelets per microliter. When I came into the hospital, I had 22,000. Hiking was the furthest thing from my mind. I needed a walker to "hike" the ten feet from my bed to the bathroom and back. I was hospitalized for eight days with application of three different antibiotics and a roller coaster of many fevers, followed by a long period of my body building up the platelet count to restore energy.

Thankfully, my health is being restored, and I have done some short hikes on the AT and around the house.

I encourage you to check yourself for ticks and tick bites after every hike or outdoor adventure. Apply tick repellent as needed. I do all these things, but still contracted the parasite. Be aware of the symptoms and speak to your doctor if you believe you contracted babesia, so your medical care team can immediately start treatment with antibiotics.

Safe hiking out there. And thanks to all the well-wishes and prayers from all who knew.

Wayne 
President, Board of Directors 
Keystone Trails Association