Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) gets its name from its most recognizable symptom: the rash. However, the rash doesn’t appear until 2–4 days after a person becomes ill. The first symptoms include fever, headache, and vomiting. If left untreated, RMSF has a high death rate. Even with antibiotic treatment, people who recover from severe RMSF may lose arms, legs, or hearing and have other long-term problems.
Today we know that RMSF is carried by many species of ticks. You can get bit by them anywhere in the United States, although North Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma have the most cases—not Montana.
Warning
If you have been bitten by a tick and fell unwell, go to the doctor.
The rash associated with Rocky Mountain spotted fever is most visible on the arms and legs. This photo was taken of NIH scientist Dr. Norman Topping, who got RMSF in 1938 while researching it. He survived and developed the first effective treatment for RMSF using antiserum; his treatment reduced mortality rates but was replaced by more effective antibiotics.
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Image: Office of NIH History and Stetten Museum, 1526
