Rocky Mountain spotted fever - Rickettsiosis

It is an infectious disease caused by rickettsiae and transmitted by ticks. It is most common in spring and summer in wooded areas of the United States, Canada and Central America. It frequently affects children and adolescents who practice outdoor activities in wooded areas.

It is caused by the bacterium Rickettsia rickettsii, which lives inside the cells of other organisms. The bite or blood of forest-dwelling ticks or animals such as dogs transmits it. 

Symptoms include severe headache, fever, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting and a skin rash. The rash usually affects wrists and ankles initially, spreading to palms, soles and the rest of the body rapidly. In more severe cases it can cause agitation, abdominal pain, respiratory failure, low blood pressure, coma and even death of the infected person.

Diagnosis is reached by clinical examination, physical examination, blood tests and biopsy of the skin rash.

Treatment is antibiotic; it should be early and maintained for 7 days. Doxycycline is the most frequently used antibiotic.

It is advisable to visit your family doctor in mild cases to confirm the diagnosis and start treatment. If you present: arterial hypotension, very extensive skin lesions or an altered level of consciousness, go promptly to the nearest hospital for early medical evaluation.