What is the portal of entry rocky mountain spotted fever?

Rocky Mountain spotted fever is typically transmitted through the bite of an infected tick. Ticks acquire the bacteria that causes RMSF, Rickettsia rickettsii, by feeding on infected animals, such as rodents and deer. When an infected tick bites a human, the bacteria can enter the person's body through the skin and travel through the bloodstream. The portal of entry for Rocky Mountain spotted fever is, therefore, the skin at the site of the tick bite.