What is Microbiology - Colorado Tick Fever

​Colorado Tick Fever

Colorado tick fever virus may cause Colorado tick fever. Colorado tick fever virus is a form of arbovirus. 

The common symptoms and signs of Colorado tick fever may include acute onset of febrile illness such as chills, headache, myalgia, malaise, vomiting and fever. 

Colorado tick fever is commonly transmitted via the bite of infected wood tick. Colorado tick virus will enter the skin form the tick bite and replicates in the hematopoietic cells. 

Colorado tick virus may affect the stem cells which may lead to thrombocytopenia and leukopenia. 

Patient may also suffer from saddle - back pattern of fever which consists of 2-3 days of febrile period followed later a period of afebrile and return of the fever again a few days later. 

Chipmunks or squirrels may act as the natural reservoir of the Colorado tick virus. 

The laboratory diagnosis may include serological analysis of the virus specific IgG or IgM by enzyme immunoassay. Colorado tick virus antigen which present on the surface of the erythrocytes can be detected from direct immuno staining of the blood smears. 

The common complication of Colorado tick fever may include encephalitis and hemorrhagic fever.