There are tests to diagnose RMSF, but these are performed in only a few laboratories. Because the results of these tests take so long to obtain, they are seldom used. This is because delaying treatment is the main cause of death in patients with RMSF
It is appropriate to shorten Rocky Mountain spotted fever to simply RMSF. It is a term used by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
iron level tests, total iron-binding capacity (TIBC) tests, ferritin tests, and transferrin tests.
Rickettsia rickettsii is native to the New World and causes the malady known as Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF). RMSF is transmitted by the bite of an infected tick while feeding on warmblooded animals, including humans. Man is an accidental host in the rickettsia-tick life cycle and is not required to maintain the rickettsiae in nature.
Glucose tests are used to determine the concentration of glucose in blood, urine, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and other body fluids.
Esophageal function tests are used to determine whether the sphincters are working properly
Rickettsia rickettsii is the scientific name for RMSF. The common name for it is Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
The bacterial culprit in RMSF is called Rickettsia rickettsii. It causes no illness in the tick carrying it, and can be passed on to the tick's offspring.
Prior to the regular use of antibiotics to treat RMSF, the death rate was about 25%. Although the death rate from RMSF has improved greatly with an understanding of the importance of early use of antibiotics, there is still a 5% death rate.
The rash of RMSF is quite characteristic. It usually begins on the fourth day of the illness, and occurs in at least 90% of all patients with RMSF. It starts around the wrists and ankles, as flat pink marks (called macules).
Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) is a tick-borne illness caused by a bacteria, resulting in a high fever and a characteristic rash.
It is essential to begin treatment absolutely as soon as RMSF is seriously suspected. Delaying treatment can result in death.
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.
About 5% of all ticks carry the causative bacteria. Children under the age of 15 years have the majority of RMSF infections.
Certain risk factors suggest a worse outcome in RMSF. Death rates are higher in males and increase as people age. It is considered a bad prognostic sign to develop symptoms of RMSF within only two to five days of a tick bite.
Diagnosis of RMSF is almost always made on the basis of the characteristic symptoms, coupled with either a known tick bite (noted by about 60-70% of patients) or exposure to an area known to harbor ticks.
Unlike rashes which accompany various viral infections, the rash of RMSF does spread to the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet. Over a couple of days, the macules turn a reddish purple color.
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