Rocky Mountain spotted fever is the most severe and most frequently reported rickettsial illness in the United States, and has been diagnosed throughout the Americas. Some synonyms for Rocky Mountain spotted fever in other countries include "tick typhus", "Tobia fever" (Colombia), "São Paulo fever" and "febre maculosa" (Brazil), and "fiebre manchada" (Mexico). The disease is caused by Rickettsia rickettsii, a species of bacteria that is spread to humans by hard ticks (Ixodidae). Initial signs and symptoms of the disease include sudden onset of fever, headache, and muscle pain, followed by development of rash. The disease can be difficult to diagnose in the early stages, and without prompt and appropriate treatment it can be fatal.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever was first recognized in 1896 in the Snake River Valley of Idaho and was originally called "black measles" because of the characteristic rash. It was a dreaded and frequently fatal disease that affected hundreds of people in this area. By the early 1900s, the recognized geographic distribution of this disease grew to encompass parts of the United States as far north as Washington and Montana and as far south as California, Arizona, and New Mexico.

Howard T. Ricketts was the first to establish the identity of the infectious organism that causes this disease. He and others characterized the basic epidemiological features of the disease, including the role of tick vectors. Their studies found that Rocky Mountain spotted fever is caused by Rickettsia rickettsii. This species is maintained in nature by a complex cycle involving ticks and mammals; humans are considered to be accidental hosts and are not involved in the natural transmission cycle of this pathogen. Tragically, Dr. Ricketts died of typhus (another rickettsial disease) in Mexico in 1910, shortly after completing his remarkable studies on Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

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damnitkisha (damnitkisha) Sat, 12 Dec 2009 20:19:15 -0000
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Wow.... almost died this summer from rocky mountain spotted fever.....but i am ok now......back to golf, music, and martial arts....
MikeStovall (Mike Stovall) Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:19:35 -0000
Wow.... almost died this summer from rocky mountain spotted fever.....but i am ok now......back to golf, music, and martial arts....
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever - Disease Process, Symptoms ...: An acute, febrile, infectious, rash-producing dis.. http://bit.ly/6Z5Rc7
sharman_s (sharman) Wed, 09 Dec 2009 12:06:25 -0000
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever - Disease Process, Symptoms ...: An acute, febrile, infectious, rash-producing dis.. http://bit.ly/6Z5Rc7

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