Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (cont.)

Rocky Mountain spotted fever is a bacterial infection that is transmitted to humans through the bite of a tick. Statistics show that rates of disease have been rising steadily over the past decade. Although most people recover completely, fatalities occur in approximately 0.5%-5% of cases.

Cases of RMSF have been reported from most areas of the country, and the disease is not restricted to the Rocky Mountain region. In fact, Arkansas, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Tennessee account for over 60% of reported cases. In 2008, there were approximately 2,500 cases reported in the U.S., which is more than twice as many cases as were reported annually in the 1990s.

RMSF was first described in the late 1800s in the Snake River Valley of Idaho. Initially, cases were thought to be confined to the Rocky Mountain area, but by the early 20th century, it was obvious that the disease occurred in areas throughout the country. Dr. Howard Ricketts identified the causative organism in the blood of infected people and showed that ticks could transmit the organism. Many other scientists worked to identify the characteristics of the disease and the tick vector, but it was not until the middle of the 20th century that an effective treatment was discovered. Many of the early researchers died of tick-borne infections while studying the disease.

Source: MedicineNet.com
http://www.medicinenet.com/rocky_mountain_spotted_fever/article.htm