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Epidemiology Graph 2 -
Number of Rocky Mountain spotted fever cases in the United States, 1997-2002, as determined by the number of cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by the states via the National Electronic Telecommunications System for Surveillance (NETSS).
RMSF Epidemiology, Graph 2: Text Description |
Seasonal Distribution of Rocky Mountain
Spotted Fever Over 90% of patients with Rocky Mountain spotted fever are infected during April
through September. This
period is the season for increased numbers of adult and nymphal Dermacentor ticks. A
history of tick bite or exposure to tick-infested habitats is reported in
approximately 60% of all cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
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Epidemiology Graph 3 -
Total number of Rocky Mountain spotted fever cases by month of onset during 2002, as determined on the basis of case report forms submitted by the states to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
RMSF Epidemiology, Graph 3: Text Description |
Geography of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Over half of Rocky Mountain spotted fever infections are
reported from the south-Atlantic region of the United States (Delaware,
Maryland, Washington D.C., Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South
Carolina, Georgia, and Florida). Infection also occurs in other parts of
the United States, namely the Pacific region (Washington, Oregon, and
California) and west south-central (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas)
region. The states
with the highest incidences of Rocky Mountain spotted fever are North Carolina and Oklahoma;
these two states combined accounted for 35% of the total number of U.S. cases
reported to CDC during 1993 through 1996. Although Rocky Mountain
spotted fever was first identified in the Rocky Mountain states, less than
3% of the U.S. cases were reported from that area during the same interval
(1993-1996).
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Epidemiology Image 4 -
Annual incidence per million population for Rocky Mountain spotted fever by state in the United States for 2002, as determined on the basis of cases reported to the National Electronic Telecommunications System for Surveillance.
RMSF Epidemiology, Image 4: Text Description |
Persons at Risk for Infection The frequency of reported cases of Rocky
Mountain spotted fever is highest among males,
Caucasians,
and children. Two-thirds of the Rocky Mountain spotted fever cases occur
in children under
the age of 15 years, with the peak age being 5 to 9 years old. Individuals with
frequent exposure to dogs and who reside near wooded areas or areas with
high grass may also be at increased risk of infection.
Worldwide Infection Infection with Rickettsia rickettsii has also
been documented in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, and
Panama. Some synonyms for Rocky Mountain spotted fever in other countries
include tick typhus, Tobia fever (Colombia), São Paulo fever and fiebre
maculosa (Brazil), and fiebre manchada (Mexico). Closely related organisms
cause other types of spotted fevers in other parts of the world.
Table of Human Disease Around the World Caused by Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiae
Organism |
Disease or Presentation |
Geographic Location |
Rickettsia rickettsii |
Rocky Mountain spotted fever |
North, Central and South America |
Rickettsia conorii |
Mediterranean spotted fever, boutonneuse fever,
Israeli spotted fever, Astrakhan fever, Indian tick
typhus |
Europe, Asia, Africa, India, Israel, Sicily, Russia |
Rickettsia akari |
Rickettsialpox |
Worldwide |
Rickettsia sibirica |
Siberian tick typhus, North Asian tick typhus | Siberia, People's Republic of China, Mongolia,
Europe |
Rickettsia australis |
Queensland tick typhus |
Australia |
Rickettsia honei |
Flinders Island spotted fever, Thai tick typhus |
Australia, South Eastern Asia |
Rickettsia africae |
African tick-bite fever |
Sub Saharan Africa, Caribbean |
Rickettsia japonica |
Japanese or Oriental spotted fever |
Japan |
Rickettsia felis |
Cat flea rickettsiosis, flea borne typhus |
Worldwide |
Rickettsia slovaca |
Necrosis, erythema, lymphoadenopathy |
Europe |
Rickettsia heilongjaiangensis |
Mild spotted fever |
China, Asian Region of Russia |
Rickettsia parkeri |
Mild spotted fever |
USA |
Date last reviewed: 05/20/2005 |