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Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever »

Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) facts

• Rocky Mountain spotted fever is caused by the bacterium Rickettsia rickettsii.
• The bacterium is spread to humans through the bite of infected ticks, and so the disease is most common in months where ticks are active, such as summer.
• Despite the name, the disease is not limited to the Rocky Mountains but rather occurs throughout most of the U.S.
• Symptoms of headache, fever, and fatigue begin about a week after exposure. A few days later, a rash develops. The rash may be so mild that it is hard to see or so dramatic that it progresses to gangrene. Other possible symptoms include confusion, abdominal pain, and vomiting.
• Most cases require hospitalization, and severe cases require intensive care.
• The disease is diagnosed by finding high titers of antibodies in the blood or by seeing the organism under a microscope in specially stained skin biopsies...

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