The basic appeal is the availability of a broad selection of goods under a single roof, at relatively low prices. Other advantages include ease of parking and frequently the convenience of shopping hours that extend into the evening or even 24 hours of the day. Supermarkets usually allocate large budgets to advertising, typically through newspapers. They also present elaborate in-shop displays of products. Supermarkets typically are chain stores, supplied by the distribution centers of their parent companies, thus increasing opportunities for economies of scale. Supermarkets usually offer products at relatively low prices by using their buying power to buy goods from manufacturers at lower prices than smaller stores can. They also minimise financing costs by paying for goods at least 30 days after receipt and some extract credit terms of 90 days or more from vendors. Certain products (typically staple foods such as bread, milk and sugar) are very occasionally sold as loss leaders so as to attract shoppers to their store. Supermarkets make up for their low margins by a high volume of sales, and with of higher-margin items bought by the attracted shoppers. Self-service with shopping carts (trolleys) or baskets reduces labor costs, and many supermarket chains are attempting further reduction by shifting to self-service check-out. History
In the early days of retailing, generally an assistant fetched products from shelves behind the merchants counter while customers waited in front of the counter, indicating the items they wanted.
Common laboratory test signs of ATBF are a low white blood cell count (lymphopenia) and low platelet count (thrombocytopenia), a high C-reactive protein, and mildly high liver function tests. Microbiological tests
Biopsies or cultures of a persons tick wound (eschar) are used to diagnose ATBF. However, this requires special culture media and can only be done by a laboratory with biohazard protection. There are more specialized laboratory tests available that use quantitative polymerase chain reactions (qPCR), but can only be done by laboratories with special equipment. Immunofluorescence assays can also be used, but are hard to interpret because of cross-reactions with other rickettsiae bacteria. Prevention
Prevention of ATBF centers around protecting oneself from tick bites by wearing long pants and shirt, and using insecticides like DEET on the skin. Travelers to rural areas in Africa and the West Indies should be aware that they may come in contact with ATBF tick vectors. Infection is more likely to occur in people who are traveling to rural areas or plan to spend time participating in outdoor activities. Extra caution should be taken in November - April, when Amblyomma ticks are more active. Inspection of the body, clothing, gear, and any pets after time outdoors can help to identify and remove ticks early. Treatment
African tick bite fever is usually mild, and most patients do not need more than at-home treatment with antibiotics for their illness. However, because so few patients with this infection visit a doctor, the best antibiotic choice, dose and length of treatment are not well known.