RMSF: deadly, but preventable

"Do you know about Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), the most deadly tickborne disease in the world?

Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) is a serious, sometimes deadly, bacterial disease spread through the bite of an infected tick.

• Roughly 4,000-6,000 tickborne spotted fevers, including RMSF, are reported in the United States each year.
• More than 60% of reported RMSF cases occur in five states (North Carolina, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri).
• While the majority of RMSF cases occur during summer months, ticks can still bite you during the spring, fall, or even year-round in warmer climates.

Signs and Symptoms

Early signs of RMSF are often non-specific with symptoms such as fever and headache. RMSF can progress to a serious and life-threatening illness in days. Early signs and symptoms may include:

• Fever
• Headache
• Rash, usually occurs around days 2-5
• Nausea, vomiting
• Stomach pain
• Muscle pain
• Lack of appetite

Treatment

• Doxycycline is the treatment of choice for adults and children of all ages with suspected RMSF as recommended by the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatricsexternal icon.
• If treated in the first 5 days with doxycycline, people with RMSF typically recover. While those treated after day 5 of illness may experience a more severe illness requiring hospitalization, or intensive care.
• When left untreated, the bacteria can cause damage to blood vessels throughout the body leading to organ and tissue damage.
• RMSF can be fatal, even in previously healthy people. If not treated correctly, death can often occur within eight days of symptoms starting.
• People who do recover from serious RMSF infections may be left with life-altering damage, including amputation of arms, legs, fingers, or toes (from lack of blood flow), hearing loss, paralysis, or mental disability..."
  Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever