Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever - Medtick
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Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

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).

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