Rocky Mountain spotted fever facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rocky Mountain spotted fever
Synonyms	Blue disease, Brazilian spotted fever, Tobia fever, New World spotted fever, Tick-borne typhus fever, Sao Paulo fever
Petechial rash on the arm caused by Rocky Mountain spotted fever
Symptoms	Early: Fever, headache Later: Rash
Complications	Hearing loss, loss of limbs
Usual onset	2 to 14 days after infection
Duration	2 weeks
Causes	Rickettsia rickettsii spread ticks
Diagnostic method	Based on symptoms
Similar conditions	Zika fever, dengue, chikungunya, Rickettsia parkeri rickettsiosis, Pacific Coast tick fever, rickettsialpox
Treatment	Doxycycline
Prognosis	0.5% risk of death
Frequency	< 5,000 cases per year (USA)

Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) is a sickness caused by bacteria. It is spread to people through the bite of certain ticks. This disease usually starts with a fever and a headache. A few days later, a rash often appears.

The rash usually looks like small spots of bleeding. It often begins on the wrists and ankles. Other signs of RMSF can include muscle aches and feeling sick to your stomach. If someone gets very sick, long-term problems might include hearing loss or even losing part of an arm or leg.

The bacteria that cause RMSF are called Rickettsia rickettsii. These bacteria are mainly spread by American dog ticks, Rocky Mountain wood ticks, and brown dog ticks. In very rare cases, the disease can spread through blood transfusions. It can be hard to tell if someone has RMSF in the early stages. Doctors often start treatment based on symptoms, even before lab tests confirm the diagnosis. RMSF is part of a group of diseases called spotted fever rickettsiosis.

Fewer than 5,000 cases of RMSF are reported each year in the United States. Most cases happen in June and July. The disease has been found across the contiguous United States, Western Canada, and parts of Central and South America. Rocky Mountain spotted fever was first identified in the 1800s in the Rocky Mountains.

What are the signs and symptoms of RMSF?

It can be tricky to diagnose Rocky Mountain spotted fever early on. This is because its symptoms can look like many other illnesses.

People who get infected with R. rickettsii usually start to feel sick one to two weeks after a tick bite. The first signs of RMSF are not very specific. They can seem like many different infections or other health problems.

Early signs of RMSF

• Fever (high body temperature)
• Nausea (feeling sick to your stomach)
• Vomiting
• Bad headache
• Muscle pain
• Not feeling hungry

Later signs of RMSF

• Maculopapular rash (a rash with flat red areas and small bumps)
• Petechial rash (small red or purple spots caused by bleeding under the skin)
• Abdominal pain (stomach ache)
• Joint pain
• Conjunctivitis (red or irritated eyes)
• Forgetting things

Images for kids

• 

  The lifecycle of Dermacentor variabilis and Dermacentor andersoni ticks (Family Ixodidae)

• 

  US distribution of spotted fever rickettsiosis, of which RMSF is a type, in 2014

See also

In Spanish: Fiebre de las Montañas Rocosas para niños