Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Question: What are the death rates and epidemics of the disease Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever? What are the death rates and epidemics of the disease Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever? I need this information for my science research && i cant find it anywhere. SO please help me. I appreciate it a lot! Thanks. :)

Answer: Frequency United States RMSF is the most frequent cause of fatal tick-borne disease in the United States. Anyone bitten by an infected dog tick and on whom the infected tick remains for several hours can get RMSF. In spite of its name, RMSF is more common in the southeastern US tick belt than in the Rocky Mountain region. The disease is more common in rural and suburban locations; however, it does occur in urban areas such as New York City. The regions with the highest incidences include the Southeast, the western South Central region (including Oklahoma and northern Texas), and selected areas of the Northeast (Cape Cod and Long Island). Most cases are reported from eastern and central states, such as North and South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma. The 2 states with the highest incidence are North Carolina and Oklahoma. Cases have been reported in 48 states, with Vermont and Hawaii being the exceptions. In the northern United States, infections commonly occur in the spring; in the South, cases may occur in any month, including winter months. From 1989-1996, more than 4700 cases were reported in 46 states. Of these reported cases, 90% occurred between April and September. More than 1400 cases were reported in 2004. A prospective study of RMSF infection in residents of a known endemic area in North Carolina suggests an annual incidence in children aged 5-9 years of 42 cases per 100,000 population. International Canada, Mexico, and Central and South America, particularly Panama, Columbia, Argentina, Costa Rica, Bolivia, and Brazil have reported cases of RMSF. Serologic evidence of RMSF has been found in 6 Brazilian states ranging from Rio Grande de Sol in the south to Bahia in the north. In Brazil, RMSF was unrecognized or unreported for decades in regions such as Espiritu Santo. In southern Brazil, the disease is more common from October to February, but in the tropics, seasonal variation is less striking. Mortality/Morbidity The mortality rate in untreated cases is 20-25%. The mortality rate for patients treated with appropriate antibiotic therapy is 5%. In a 1994 study, the odds of dying from RMSF were more than 5 times greater for patients who did not receive antirickettsial therapy by the fifth day of their illness compared to those treated earlier. In elderly patients who are not treated, the mortality rate can be as high as 70%. The mortality rate is less than 20% in untreated children. RMSF tends to be more severe in individuals with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency. The diverse clinical features of RMSF lead clinicians to confuse it with many community-acquired infections. This delays proper therapy and contributes to higher mortality.

Question: Can dogs get the rocky mountain spotted fever? We found a american dog tick on my dog's nose... i did some research to find a little more about this tick... and i found that some carry the rocky mountain spotted fever. i am worried that my dog will get it... can he get it? what can i do to cure him if he does? please answer... i worry about these things A LOT! and i read that it was fatal, and the world would end for me if my dog, luigi, died... : (

Answer: Rocky Mountain spotted fever is a disease transmitted by ticks and is most prevalent in the east coast, midwest, and plains regions. Rocky Mountain spotted fever affects dogs and humans. Through blood tests, it has been demonstrated that cats may also become infected, but the disease in cats is minimal. Various rodents, raccoons and fox may carry the causative agent of Rocky Mountain spotted fever. What causes Rocky Mountain spotted fever ? Rocky Mountain spotted fever is caused by Rickettsia rickettsii. It is one of many rickettsia organisms, which on the evolutionary scale are between bacteria and viruses. How is Rocky Mountain spotted fever transmitted? R. rickettsii is transmitted from animal to animal through the bite of the American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis) and the Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever tick (hence the catchy name) Dermacentor andersoni. The tick has various life stages, several of which feed on animals. Any of these stages could be infected with R. rickettsii and transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever. The tick must be attached to a host for a minimum of 5-20 hours for transmission of R. rickettsii to occur. Since it is transmitted by ticks, most cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever occur during the tick season from April to September. What are the symptoms of Rocky Mountain spotted fever? There are two stages of Rocky Mountain spotted fever: Subclinical and acute. In the subclinical stage, dogs are infected, but do not show outward signs of the disease though they may have laboratory test abnormalities. These dogs may recover quickly. In the acute stage, dogs have a loss of appetite, fever, pain in the muscles and joints, swollen lymph nodes, and edema (fluid accumulation) in the face and legs. Some animals develop pneumonia or heart arrhythmias, which can lead to sudden death. Most dogs have neurological signs (dizziness, depression, stupor, seizures) and these can sometimes become very severe. These signs appear 2 to 14 days after the tick bite. The dogs may have slight anemia, a low number of platelets (platelets help blood to clot), and increased liver enzymes, as measured by a blood chemistry panel. Some dogs develop ulcerations of the mucous membranes and extremities. How is Rocky Mountain spotted fever diagnosed? Several blood tests are available which test for the dog's antibodies (proteins produced to fight off the infection) to R. rickettsii. Since we need to look for a change in the antibody levels, usually two tests will be done 2 weeks apart and the results compared. Dogs with an active infection will show a significant rise in the amount of antibody present. A test is also available which detects antigens (protein parts) of R. rickettsii. This test can become positive as early as 4 days after the tick bite. This test is not a blood test, but a small biopsy of the skin at the site of the tick bite is tested. How is Rocky Mountain spotted fever treated? The antibiotics tetracycline, doxycycline, or enrofloxacin are used. Treatment is for 10-14 days. Some dogs can develop severe disease and must be treated for shock or severe nervous system symptoms. If treated within the first several days, most dogs will recover completely - some dogs actually show improvement within hours of starting the antibiotics. Dogs who have severe damage to their nervous systems, may not recover completely. German Shepherds and certain lines of English Springer Spaniels tend to have a more severe form of the disease. How can I prevent my pet from getting Rocky Mountain spotted fever? Tick control is the main way to prevent Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Products which repel and kill ticks such as Bio Spot for Dogs are excellent choices. Tick collars containing the active ingredient amitraz are also used, sometimes in conjunction with Bio Spot in those areas with high tick infestations. It appears that dogs who have had Rocky Mountain spotted fever and recovered are immune to reinfection for years. Because rodents play a role in the life cycle of the Dermacentor ticks, rodent control is important as well. There is no vaccine for Rocky Mountain spotted fever http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?…

Question: My dog has Spotted Rocky Mountain Fever. Anybody have a dog with that disease? My Golden Retriever, Trevor, has a disease called Spotted Rocky Mountain Fever. He was bit by a tick which gave him it. He's completely blind now. His eyes are shaded over with a blue fog. I have only seen one dog like this before. We visited so many vets all over and no one really said the same thing. Does anybody have a dog with this disease? I just want to know what your vet told you.

Answer: We once fostered a golden retriever who the vet suspected to have Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. We treated her with Doxycycline (an anti-biotic) twice a day for one month. If left untreated, I've read it can begin to affect certain organs. Was Trevor ever treated with an antibiotic? Also, keep him treated with Frontline or Advantix - flea and tick treatments every month.

Question: Has anyone been diagnosed with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lyme disease? Some of you may know that I have been busy accompanying a friend for all sorts of tests lately and have not been on line. The tests results came in, Marie was diagnosed with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lyme disease. She never knew she was bitten by a tick. She now is taking antibiotics. We were a little frightened at first because her platelets were very low, then a mild rash, flu like symptoms, the nausea and vomiting joint pain. We still can't find the tick though. I am back taking care of Brian, her son, with cerebral palsy , epilepsy and schitzophrenia, so life is back to normal! Isn't that something?. The metabolic panel came back today. We thought it might be some sort of ulcer or stomach cancer,. There are woods behind our houses here and her pup sleeps with her, so maybe? But truly, we never saw a tick so were really surprised at the outcome Thanks so much everyone! You people are absolutely wonderful! When she was sick in the car after these tests, I was just hoping I wasn't going to join her throwing up driving 60 miles an hour! Just the sound, gets me, LOL

Answer: YES, I have had 'tick' fever. Back in Oct. 1988, and I ended up at the Valley Baptist Medical Center Hospital, Harlingen, Texas ! (another LONG story came about because of this- Not Good, this second story) It took me about 5 months to regain my strength. I was working at a manufacturing plant from 6:a.m., until 2:30 p.m., and farmed veggies during my 'off' hours. RMSF is in the typhus family, and quite rare, as I am sure you know, by now. Your friend will require a lot of bed rest, peace and quiet,and Especially a well balanced diet, with a lot of fruit, and check with the doctor about certain 'herbs / spices'. Best of luck, and, MAY THE BIG BOSS ABOVE, SMILE UPON YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES !!!!!!!

Question: Why are cats not affected by Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever? Just wondering why cats don't get symptoms but dogs do...and why are German Shepherds more susceptible?

Answer: nasty stuff that have a check mabey cats are immune,,,,,,, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_Mount…

Question: What is the cause of the spots associated with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever?

Answer: Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever begins as small, flat, pink, non-itchy spots (macules) on the wrists, forearms, and ankles. These spots turn pale when pressure is applied and eventually become raised on the skin. It eventually becomes a rash of red spotsbon the palms or soles and is present in at least half of those who get it.

Question: Is Lyme Disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever rare? I just found a tick on my toddler son and it had already attached itself to him. I'm really freaking out. How common are these diseases?

Answer: Doesn't really matter if people call it "rare" if you're one of the ones who gets it! Lyme disease is more common than you think, and with climate change, ticks (infected and uninfected) are showing up in more places than ever. If you haven't already, remove the tick carefully with tweezers. Clean the spot with alcohol. Watch carefully for any flu-like symptoms or any rashes or ANY new weird symptoms of any kind. More info at lymeinfo.net, lymenet.com, ilads.org. Good luck!

Question: If I have 12 tick bites, how likely is it for me to get Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever? I live in Missouri, and I'm not for sure what kind of ticks they were, but I think they were seed ticks. I've heard that they are newly hatched ticks, but is this true? Thanks for all your help!! -Jess Okay... what should I tell my doctor? I just found another one on me. It was brown and barely visible.

Answer: seed ticks can't give you lyme disease or rocky mountain spotted fever. deer ticks can give you lyme disease and ixodid (hard) ticks can cause Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Question: Doctors - Would you be shocked if you diagnosed somebody with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever? Or is it a common enough disease so that you wouldn't be shocked? Is it difficult to cure? Thanks in advance! :)

Answer: Shocked, "no" but, hard to detect unless you live there or, know the person was there and got bite by a tick. You have to have something to go on. The tick that causes Rocky Mountain also can transfer many different diseases and parasites that may infect the body. It can be tricky without first hand knowledge.

Question: how life threatening is rocky mountain spotted fever if it had run for 3 weeks and your body had went in toxic I know someone that was very sick for 3 weeks and they have finally dianosed him with rocky mountain spotted fever but he had went into toxic shock and he is still on life support and his fever is down but he is very confused so they have to keep him sedated just wondering does anyone know much about this will he pull thru you think?

Answer: Hes very sick. They prob. have him on heavy IV anitbiotics and pain meds. Doctors ususally keep people sedated so that they can rest and let their bodies heal. This isnt very uncommon however it is serious. My son had RMSF and was on IV anitbiotics and was ok. His did not go for 3 weeks untreated nor was he sedated. I do wish you and your friend the best.