Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) is a severe disease that
affects your blood vessels. It is potentially fatal. The disease
is spread by ticks in North, Central, and South America. RMSF is
caused by a specific bacteria. This bacteria is carried by the
American dog tick and the Rocky Mountain wood tick. It passes to
humans when an infected tick bites the skin. The bacteria can
then pass into the bloodstream. The bacteria sits in the lining
of small blood vessels and multiplies. The growth of the
bacteria causes irritation and swelling in the blood vessels.
Blood and other fluids can then leak out of the blood vessels
into the surrounding tissue. Factors that increase your chance
of RMSF include: - Being outdoors in areas known to have RMSF
especially from April to September - Exposure to tick-infested
areas such as long grass, weeds or low brush - Exposure to dogs
- Not using preventative steps (listed below) Copyright ©
Nucleus Medical Media, Inc. The first symptoms of RMSF often
occur within 2-14 days afte