Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Rocky Mountain spotted fever is a serious and potentially life-threatening disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Despite effective treatment for the disease, about 3 to 5 percent of those who contract the illness still die from the infection. CDC says the illness is the most severe and most frequently reported rickettsial illness. The disease is caused by Rickettsia rickettsii, a species of bacteria that is spread to humans by ixodid or hard ticks. (Read about "Microorganisms" "Animal & Insect Borne Diseases") There are two main vectors or spreaders of R. rickettsii in the United States - the American dog tick and the Rocky Mountain wood tick. The ranges of the two ticks overlap and cover most of the United States, not just the Rocky Mountains.

Symptoms

Rocky Mountain spotted fever can be difficult to diagnose in its early stages, according to CDC. The incubation period is about 5 to 10 days after a tick bite. Early symptoms may resemble a variety of other diseases and could include:

• rash (Read about "Skin Rash")
• fever
• severe headache
• muscle pain
• nausea
• vomiting
• lack of appetite

Later symptoms include:

• joint pain
• diarrhea (Read about "Diarrhea")
• abdominal pain

CDC says the three classic findings for this disease are fever, rash and history of a tick bite.

Long-term health problems following acute Rocky Mountain spotted fever include:

• partial paralysis of the lower extremities
• gangrene
• hearing loss (Read about "Hearing Loss")
• loss of bowel or bladder control (Read about "Incontinence" "Fecal Incontinence")
• movement disorders
• language disorders (Read about "Aphasia")

CDC says these complications are most frequent in people recovering from a severe case of the illness.

Treatment

Antibiotic treatment (Read about "Antibiotics") should be given immediately when Rocky Mountain spotted fever is suspected, according to CDC. If the patient is treated within the first 4 to 5 days of the disease, CDC says fever will generally subside within 24 to 72 hours after treatment with an antibiotic. A tetracycline antibiotic is often used. Therapy is continued for at least three days after fever subsides, generally for a minimum total of 5 to 10 days. Severe cases may require longer courses of treatment.

Your risk of contracting Rocky Mountain spotted fever, as well as other tick-borne illnesses, increases if you spend time outdoors, especially in wooded areas. CDC says there are precautions to take:

• Wear shoes, socks and light colored clothing to spot ticks easily.
• Tuck long pants into socks and your shirt into your pants.
• Scan your clothing and exposed skin, especially if you are wearing shorts, frequently looking for ticks.
• Careful use of an insect repellent is often recommended; ask your doctor about this, especially as far as children are concerned. (For more on repellents, read about "Insect Bites")
• Wear a hat and a long sleeve shirt if possible.
• Avoid sitting on the ground or stone walls.
• Stay in the center of hiking trails avoiding tall grass and open fields.
• Do a full body check at the end of the day for ticks, paying particular attention to scalp and other hairy portions of the body.

Wash and dry the clothes you had on at high temperatures to kill any hidden ticks. Also, remember that a tick will climb up looking for exposed skin. That's why you need to keep them off your clothes.