Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Overview :

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 mid-Atlantic region, the Carolinas, and the Virginias 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% of all ticks carry the causative bacteria. Children under the age of 15 years have the majority of RMSF infections.