What is it?
A bacterial infection that is commonly found in the Rocky Mountains in America, the eastern side of America and South America when one goes to woodland and camping areas.
- The symptoms occur on average seven days (two to 14 days after initial infection) after initial exposure.
Countries affected are:
North America
- United States of America (Alaska, Hawaii, Oahu, Maui)
Cause
- Bacteria: Rickettsia rickettssi
- Infected ticks that bite humans from infected animal ticks
Symptoms
- High temperature greater than 38°C (100°F) or over and/or chills and sweats longer than 72 hours?
- Headache which is on and off or a constant headache longer than 24 hours?
- Pain upon moving the eyes and increased sensitivity to light (photophobia)?
- Aching, painful muscles, muscle cramps/spasms/stiffness?
- Abdominal pain and/or are constant violently vomiting or vomiting longer than two days / one day (if child)?
Three to five days after fever:
- New rash that has appeared or existing rash getting worst (Spotty rash on arms and legs then spreads to rest of the body gradually becoming darker)?
Complications /Information to beware of/General tips:
Medical Emergency Condition
And/or do not wait, phone for an ambulance if have or develop:
- Necrotising fasciitis
- Encephalitis
- Hearing loss
- Abnormal, involuntary, rapid eye movements (nystagmus)
- A sensation that the environment or one’s body is revolving (vertigo)
- Abnormally increased reflex responses (hyperreflexia)
- Difficulty articulating speech (dysarthria); impairment of certain cranial nerve pairs arising from the brain (cranial nerve palsy)
- Inability to control urination or defecation (incontinence)
- Muscle weakness or paralysis
- Seizures
- Meningitis
- Pneumonia
- Pulmonary oedema (increased difficulty in breathing)
- Abnormal heart beat
- Heart failure
- Post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis (infection of the small blood vessels in the kidney)
- Blood in stools
- Liver disease [yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice), pale looking faeces]
- Enlargement of spleen
- Those with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency (they can develop Fulminant Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever – a severe form)
This condition may show similar symptoms to:
Detailed Information
Please copy and paste any key words from the title: Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in the following respective 'Medtick References and/or Sources' to find out more about the disease (this also may include diagnosis tests and generic medical treatments).
- NHS
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- Medscape
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- Pharmaceutical Journal
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- Healthline
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- Medical News Today
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- WebMD
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- Cleveland Clinic
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- Mayo Clinic
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- Drugs.com
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- National Organisation of Rare Diseases
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- Verywell Health
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- Fit for Travel
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- DR Axe
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