What Are the Treatments for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever?

Rocky Mountain spotted fever is a serious bacterial infection that you derive from the bite of an infected tick. According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, Rocky Mountain spotted fever is caused by the bacterium Rickettsia rickettsii. Although the moniker "Rocky Mountain" stems from the region where the disease originated, most cases occur in the Eastern part of the country. Older adults and children are particularly susceptible to the disease, and prompt medical treatment is important to prevent the infection from becoming severe and even fatal.

Tick Removal

• It is important to remove a tick properly if you spot one on your body. Never crush a tick while removing it. Instead, disinfect a pair of tweezers in alcohol. Take the tweezers and carefully grasp the head or near the mouth of the tick. Gently pull the tick away from your skin. Once you have successfully removed the tick, seal it in a sandwich bag, and then store the bag in your freezer. If you should become sick from the tick bite, your physician can then identify the bacteria that is the cause of your infection. After removing the tick from your skin, thoroughly wash your hands in warm soap and water, as well as the area surrounding the bite.

Antibiotics

• If you have been diagnosed with Rocky Mountain spotted fever, your physician will begin a treatment course of antibiotics. According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, most cases of the infection are treated with tetracycline antibiotics, such as doxycycline, that may be taken for up to 10 days. It is essential that you complete the full course of your antibiotic treatment, even if you feel better. If you don't, the bacteria can begin to re-grow and multiply, causing a re-infection.

Effectiveness

• Contact your doctor and begin treatment as soon as you notice symptoms, which include fever, a red blotchy rash on your wrists and ankles, nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, headache, diarrhea and confusion. The infection can rapidly spread through the body, and death can occur among older adults and children if the infection is not treated immediately. Pregnant women cannot take doxycycline due to potential effects upon the fetus; according to the Mayo Clinic, if you're pregnant, your course of treatment will likely involve chloramphenicol.

Complications

• If the disease is caught early, most complications can be prevented. If the infection goes untreated, however, bacteria can travel from the bite area throughout your body via your bloodstream. As a result, you can suffer serious complications within your heart, lungs, kidneys and joints, as well as your central and peripheral nervous system. You can also develop meningitis, which results from an infection of the brain and spinal cord. Other complications can include brain damage, gangrene (tissue death) and shock.

Prevention/Solution

• If you live in or visit areas that may be infested with ticks, wear long-sleeved shirts and pants. According to the Centers for Disease Control, don light-colored clothing that allows you to easily spot ticks and other insects, and use a repellent that contains DEET. Small ticks can be hard to detect, as they are about the size of a pinhead, and ticks can easily be transferred from a wooded area into your home. Always inspect your body after being outside, or have someone else inspect you for ticks, especially in the case of children.