Trip to pumpkin patch leaves woman with painful infection from tick bite
A California woman is recovering after she got a bad bacterial infection when she was bitten by a tick during a trip to a pumpkin patch.
Jennifer Velasquez said she was wearing flip-flops and shorts to a pumpkin patch when she was bitten by a tick two years ago, The Sacramento Bee reported. The tick was infected by Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
She posted a photo of the rash to her Facebook page last week, saying that, "I couldn't walk, my whole body was in pain, my hair fell out, and I almost died."
And while the bite and the infection that followed happened two years ago, she posted the photo this month after seeing photos of families going to fall activities to remind them to cover up during outings and do a tick check after the trip, The Bee reported.
So what should people look for when it comes to Rocky Mountain spotted fever?
- High fever
- Chills
- Severe headache
- Muscle aches
- nausea and vomiting
- Confusion or other neurological changes
- Distinctive rash
And while Velasquez said to be careful and don't repeat the mistake she made by wearing flip flops to a pumpkin patch, she said not to avoid going just to prevent a tick bite, The Bee reported.
