![]() ![]() (2009) /rare-diseases/rocky-mountain-spotted-fever/ (2015, June) cdc.gov/ticks/avoid/on_people.html Rocky Mountain spotted fever /diseases-conditions/rocky-mountain-spotted-fever/basics/definition/con-20032780 You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. According to the CDC, children under 10 years of age are 5 times more likely to die from RMSF than adults. Most fatalities occur in the very old or very young, and in cases where treatment was delayed. However, in the United States overall, less than 1 percent of people infected with RMSF will die from the infection. ![]() Most cases of RMSF occur during May, June, July, and August. The infection can occur at any time of the year, but is more common during the warm weather months, when ticks are more active and people tend to spend more time outside. What time of year is RMSF most commonly reported? In the United States, 5 states see over 60 percent of RMSF infections: However, RMSF is more frequently found in the southeastern part of the United States, as well as parts of: Rocky Mountain spotted fever got its name because it was first seen in the Rocky Mountains. People who live close to wooded or grassy areas and people who are in frequent contact with dogs have a higher risk of infection. How common is RMSF?Īround 2,000 cases of RMSF are reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) each year. The current number of cases in the United States is now around six cases per million people per year. RMSF is rare, but the number of cases per million people, known as incidence, has been increasing over the last 10 years. Rocky Mountain spotted fever facts and statistics If your disease is severe or you have complications, you may have to stay in the hospital for a longer period of time to receive fluids and be monitored. If you don’t begin receiving treatment within the first five days, you might require intravenous (IV) antibiotics in the hospital. Make sure you take the antibiotics exactly the way your doctor or pharmacist described. The goal is to begin treatment as soon as possible, ideally within the first five days of infection. This is because delay in treating the infection can lead to significant complications. The CDC recommends that you start taking the antibiotic as soon as the diagnosis is suspected, even before your doctor receives the laboratory results needed to definitively diagnose you. If you’re pregnant, your doctor may prescribe chloramphenicol instead. It’s the preferred drug for treating both children and adults. Treatment for Rocky Mountain spotted fever involves an oral antibiotic known as doxycycline. While you can’t get RMSF from your dog, if an infected tick is on your dog’s body, the tick can migrate to you while you’re holding your pet. However, your household dog is also susceptible to RMSF. RMSF is not contagious and can’t be spread from person to person. Ticks are very small insects - some as small as the head of a pin - so you may never see a tick on your body after it bites you. The longer a tick is attached to your skin, the greater the chance of an RMSF infection. Once a tick has bitten you, it may draw blood slowly over several days. Ticks are small arachnids that feed on blood. brown dog tick ( Rhipicephalus sanguineus).Rocky Mountain wood tick ( Dermacentor andersoni).American dog tick ( Dermacentar variablis).Types that may be vectors, or carriers, of RMSF include the: Though RMSF is caused by bacteria, you can only be infected with the bacteria via a tick bite. The bacteria spread through your lymphatic system and multiply in your cells. RMSF is transmitted, or spread, through the bite of a tick that’s infected with a bacterium known as Rickettsia rickettsii. Rocky Mountain spotted fever transmission This makes diagnosing the infection even more difficult. Only about half of people who develop RMSF remember having a tick bite. Although a spotted rash is considered the classic symptom of RMSF, about 10 to 15 percent of people with RMSF don’t develop a rash at all. RMSF can be difficult to diagnose, as the symptoms mimic other illnesses, such as the flu. The goal is to begin treatment before this rash appears. It tends to be purple-red, and is a sign that the disease has progressed and become more serious. After the sixth day of infection, a second rash can develop. This rash begins 2 to 5 days after the fever and eventually spreads inward towards the torso. RMSF also causes a rash with small red spots on the wrists, palms, ankles, and soles of the feet. high fever, which may persist for 2 to 3 weeks.Symptoms come on suddenly and usually include: The symptoms of Rocky Mountain spotted fever typically begin between 2 and 14 days after getting a tick bite. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |