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Rocky Mountain spotted fever Causes and Risks:
In the western U.S., the causative agent R rickettsii is transmitted by the wood tick , and in the eastern U.S., by the dog tick. Other ticks transmit the infection in the southern U.S. and in Central and South America.
Contrary to the name "Rocky Mountain" two-thirds of recent cases have been reported in the eastern United States: North and South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Georgia, Tennessee, and Oklahoma. The incidence of infection is 8 out of 100,000 people. Most cases occur in the spring and summer with about 1,000 cases reported per year. About 2/3 of the reported cases have been in children.
The incubation period of the illness is from 2 to 14 days after the tick bite . Symptoms usually start suddenly with a persistent fever . A rash will appear 2 to 5 days after the onset of the fever.
The risk factors include recent hiking or exposure to ticks in an endemic area.
Prevention:
When walking or hiking in tick-infested areas, tuck long pants into socks to protect the legs, and wear shoes and long sleeved shirts. Ticks will show up on white or light colors better than dark colors, making them easier to remove from clothing. Remove ticks immediately by using a tweezers, pulling carefully and steadily. Insect repellent may be helpful.
Symptoms:
Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease:
Signs and Tests:
Treatment:
The objective of treatment is careful removal of the tick from the skin and antibiotics to eliminate the infection. Chloramphenicol and tetracycline are frequently used.
Note: oral tetracycline is usually not prescribed for children until after all the permanent teeth have erupted; it can permanently discolor teeth that are still forming.
Prognosis:
Treatment usually cures the infection. Complications are rare. The death rate is 5 to 7% and usually reflects a delay in seeking treatment.
Complications:
Call Your Healthcare Provider:
Call your health care provider if symptoms develop after exposure to ticks or known tick bite . The complications of untreated Rocky Mountain spotted fever can be life threatening.
This lesion, caused by Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, is on the roof of a child's mouth (hard palate). (Courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control.)
Rocky Mountain spotted fever is caused by the organism Rickettsia rickettsii and is transmitted by a tick bite. It is a serious infection which produces a classical rash in about 90% of infected individuals. This is how it typically appears on the face. (Courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control.)
This is the appearance of the rash of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever on the hands and forearms. The rash starts on the hands and feet and later spreads to the trunk. It is caused by a bacteria transmitted to humans by a tick bite. (Courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control.)
This is an illustration of deer and wood ticks. Diseases are often carried by ticks. These diseases include: Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Colorado Tick Fever, Lyme disease, and tularemia. Less common or less frequent diseases include typhus, Q-fever, relapsing fever, viral encephalitis, hemorrhagic fever, and babesiosis.
There are many species of ticks. Of these, a large proportion are capable of carrying disease. Diseases carried by ticks include Lyme disease, Erlichiosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Colorado Tick Fever, tularemia, typhus, Q fever, hemorrhagic fever, and viral encephalitis. (Courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control.)
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is a disease transmitted to humans by a tick bite. The spots begin as flat (macular) red (erythematous) patches that may bleed into the skin, causing purplish spots (purpura). The disease is named after its characteristic spots. (Courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control.)
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) maintain statistics on diseases, including Lyme disease. This graph shows the proportion of lyme disease compared to other diseases that are spread by contact with an animal or insect bite. (Courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control.)
This is one suggested method of tick removal. Care must be taken not to squeeze the body of the tick, as this may force infectious fluid back into the skin. (Courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control.)
This photograph shows the natural habitat of ticks. Note that this is a park campground intended for both adults and children. (Courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control.
Ticks often hang from overhead branches and drop when they sense body heat below. A favorite site for ticks is the hairline on the back of the neck. (Courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and B. McKie.)
This is a close-up photograph of a tick embedded in the skin. Ticks are important because they can carry diseases such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia, Colorado tick fever, Lyme disease, and others.
Rocky Mountain spotted fever is caused by the organism Rickettsia rickettsii and is transmitted by a tick bite. It is a serious infection that produces a classical rash in about 90% of infected individuals. This is the typical appearance of the rash. There are many symptoms that affect the entire body (systemic).
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is a potentially fatal infection transmitted to humans by ticks. This photograph shows the classical appearing rash which often begins on the wrists and ankles, and spreads rapidly towards the center of the body. The rash may also be present on the palms and soles.
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