Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Definition
Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) is a tick-borne illness caused by a bacteria, resulting in a high fever and a characteristic rash.
Description
The bacteria causing RMSF is passed to humans through the bite of an infected tick. The illness begins within about two weeks of such a bite. RMSF is the most widespread tick-borne illness in the United States, occurring in every state except Alaska and Hawaii. The states in the south-Atlantic region, (Delaware, Maryland, Washington DC, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida) have a great deal of tick activity during the spring and summer months, and the largest number of RMSF cases come from those states. About 5 percent of all ticks carry the causative bacteria.