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Can dogs get Rocky Mountain spotted fever?
What causes Rocky Mountain spotted fever?
What is Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF)?
Spotted fevers are diseases caused by a set of related bacteria in the Rickettsia genus, of which Rocky Mountain spotted fever is the most severe. After transmission of the pathogen through tick bite, patients may manifest a local eschar or characteristic rash, including petechial hemorrhage and other clinical outcomes of vasculitis.
- Where Found
- Signs and Symptoms
- General Laboratory Findings
- Laboratory Diagnosis
- Treatment
- References
Since 2010, cases of RMSF are reported as spotted fever rickettsiosis along with other spotted fevers like Rickettsia parkeri rickettsiosis in national surveillance. RMSF has become increasingly common in certain areas of Arizona over the last several years; between 2002-2021 more than 500 cases and 28 fatalities occurred.
Early (1–4 Days) Late (5 Days and Beyond)
•Altered mental status, coma, cerebral edema •Respiratory compromise (pulmonary edema, ARDS) •Necrosis, requiring amputation •Multiorgan system damage (CNS, renal failure)
Rash
•Typically appears 2–5 days after onset of symptoms; approximately 10% of RMSF patients never develop a rash. •Decision to treat should not be based on presence of rash. Early Rash •Maculopapular: Small, flat, pink, non-itchy spots (macules) initially appear on the wrists, forearms, and ankles then spread to the trunk and sometimes palms and soles. Late Rash •Petechial: Red to purple spots (petechiae) are usually not seen until day 6 or later after onset of symptoms. •Petechial rash is considered a sign of progression to severe disease. Every attempt should be made to begin treatment before petechiae develop.
•Thrombocytopenia
•Elevated hepatic transaminases
•Hyponatremia
Laboratory values are often within normal limits in early illness.
•Demonstration of a four-fold rise in IgG-specific antibody titer by indirect immunofluorescence antibody (IFA) assay in paired serum samples. The first sample should be taken within the first 2 weeks of illness and the second should be taken 2 to 4 weeks later.
•Detection of DNA in a skin biopsy specimen of a rash lesion by PCR assay or in an acute phase whole blood specimen. Additionally, new pan-Rickettsia and R. rickettsii-specific PCR assays are available at some local and state health departments.
•Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining of organism from skin or tissue biopsy specimen.
Antibody titers are frequently negative in the first 7–10 days of illness. Acute antibody results cannot be independently relied upon for confirmation
Anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, and spotted fever group rickettsioses are treated with doxycycline. Clinical suspicion of any of these diseases is sufficient to begin treatment. Delay in treatment may result in severe illness and even death. These regimens may need to be adjusted depending on a person’s age, medical history, underlying health conditions, pregnancy status, or allergies. Consult an infectious disease specialist in cases of pregnancy or life-threatening allergy to doxycycline.
Use doxycycline as the first-line treatment for suspected RMSF in patients of all ages. The use of doxycycline to treat suspected RMSF in children is recommended by both the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Infectious Diseases. Use of antibiotics other than doxycycline increases the risk of patient death. At the recommended dose and duration needed to treat RMSF, no evidence has been shown to cause staining of permanent teeth, even when multiple courses are given before the age of eight.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Diagnosis and management of tickborne rickettsial diseases: Rocky Mountain spotted fever and other spotted fever group rickettsioses, ehrlichioses, and anaplasmosis—United States: a practical guide for health care and public health professionals. MMWR 2016;65 (No.RR-2).
Demma LJ, Traeger MS, Nicholson WL, et al. Rocky Mountain spotted fever from an unexpected tick vector in Arizona. N Engl J Med 2005;353:587–94.
Elghetany MT, Walker DH. Hemostatic changes in Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Mediterranean spotted fever. Am J Clin Pathol 1999;112:159–68.
Holman RC, Paddock CD, Curns AT, et al. Analysis of risk factors for fatal Rocky Mountain spotted fever: evidence for superiority of tetracyclines for therapy. J Infect Dis 2001;184:1437–44.
Jay R, Armstrong PA. Clinical characteristics of Rocky Mountain spotted fever in the United States: A literature review. J Vector Borne Dis. 2020 Apr-Jun;57(2):114-120.
Kirkland KB, Wilkinson WE, Sexton DJ. Therapeutic delay and mortality in cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Clin Infect Dis 1995;20:1118–21.
Jun 1, 2023 · Caused by a bacterium called Rickettsia rickettsii (R. rickettsii), which is transmitted through tick bites, RMSF can be dangerous to dogs. Knowing the risk factors, signs, diagnosis and...
Jun 27, 2023 · INTRODUCTION. Rickettsia rickettsii is the causative agent of Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) and the prototypic member of the genus Rickettsia. The basic biologic features of R. rickettsii and how it produces disease will be reviewed here. The clinical manifestations of RMSF and its treatment are discussed separately.
What is the treatment for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever? The definitive treatment for RMSF is a course of antibiotics. Doxycycline (Vibramycin®, Oracea®, Monodox®, Periostat®, Doryx®, Acticlate®) is the preferred antibiotic for most cases and may be given from anywhere from 7-21 days depending on the dose.
Jul 17, 2023 · Rickettsia rickettsii, the most well-described and most lethal of the spotted group rickettsiae, causes Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF). It is a coccobacillary, obligate, intracellular organism that accidentally infects human hosts after a bite with an infected tick vector.
R. rickettsii is the causative agent of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and is transferred to its host via a tick bite. It is one of the most pathogenic Rickettsia species and affects a large majority of the Western Hemisphere, most commonly the Americas.
