Southern tick-associated rash illness
Background
- Abbreviation: STARI
- Transmitted by lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum)
- female tick has single white dot or "lone star" on its back, aggressive feeders
- May be caused by spirochete Borrelia lonestari
- Midwest and Mid-Atlantic states
Clinical Features
- Resembles Lyme disease in rash, constitutional symptoms, time course
- May have delayed anaphylaxis (3-6h) to red meat from IgE Ab to glycoprotein in meat of mammals, with negative allergy skin test
Differential Diagnosis
Tick Borne Illnesses
- Babesiosis
- Colorado tick fever
- Ehrlichiosis
- Heartland virus
- Lyme
- Murine typhus
- Rocky mountain spotted fever
- Southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI)
- Tick paralysis
- Tularemia
Evaluation
- No testing available
Management
- 10 days of doxycycline or amoxicillin
- No evidence this is beneficial, but commonly given
Disposition
- Home
See Also
External Links
References
- Hall J, Khan Sajid Small Bugs with Big Bites, EM Resident Oct/Nov 2014 Vol 4:5; 10
- http://www.cdc.gov/stari/symptoms/index.html