Indeed, without such therapy, patients with spotless or almost spotless fever may die. On the basis of outcome in the cases reviewed, empirical administration of chloramphenicol or a tetracycline to selected patients is justifiable (including those patients with severe organ dysfunction), even if they have no rash, a transient rash, or a rash of unusual distribution. Although in some cases the absence of rash may be due to the prompt institution of therapy with chloramphenicol or tetracycline, in others long delays in recognition of the disease and treatment occurred, resulting in the deaths of 53% of patients. Sixty-one percent of patients with Rocky Mountain spotless or almost spotless fever have been men. Three major signs and symptoms are tick bite, fever, and rash other symptoms may also develop. The disease is caused by bacteria termed Rickettsia rickettsii. The disease is not contagious from person to person. In the eastern United States and in California, the infected tick is usually Dermacentor variabilis, the American dog tick. Rocky Mountain spotted fever is an illness caused by bacteria that are transmitted by tick bites to humans (a tick-borne illness). Data from these 10 cases and 33 similar previously reported cases of Rocky Mountain "spotless" or "almost spotless" fever support the premise that human Rickettsia rickettsii infection has a broader spectrum than that indicated by its classic description. Rocky Mountain spotted fever is a severe illness caused by tiny bacteria called Rickettsia rickettsii, which are transmitted through the bite of an infected tick.
CDC Rickettsial Tick-borne Diseases Case Report Form (pdf)įor reportable diseases lacking Oregon-specific investigative guidelines or case report forms, please contact the state epidemiologist on call for assistance at 97.In 10 (10.8%) of 93 laboratory-confirmed or probable cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever seen at Duke University Medical Center from 1969 to 1991, illness without rash or fleeting or atypical skin eruptions were noted.See How and Where to Report for more information and local health department contacts.The disease usually occurs in the eastern.
Health care providers: Use our secure web-based confidential reporting system – OR – use the confidential PDF reporting form. Rocky Mountain spotted fever is a tickborne disease that affects about 800 people in the United States each year.
Health care providers and clinical laboratories are required by law to report cases and suspect cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever to local health departments within one working day of identification. It is most commonly seen from April through September but can occur anytime during the year when there is warm weather.įor Health Care Providers and Clinical Laboratories It typically begins with a fever and headache, which is followed a few days later. from New York to Florida, and from Alabama to Texas in the south. Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) is a bacterial disease spread by ticks. Ticks are small spider-like animals that attach to your skin and feed. The disease usually occurs in the eastern U.S. Rocky Mountain spotted fever is an infection you can get from certain kinds of ticks. Rocky Mountain spotted fever is a tickborne disease that affects about 800 people in the United States each year.