Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Brought Into the U.S.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today issued a Health Alert Network Health Advisory confirming an outbreak of Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) among people in the United States with recent travel to or residence in the city of Tecate, state of Baja California, Mexico.

As of December 8, 2023, five patients have been confirmed with RMSF, and 3 have died since late July 2023.

Each patient had travel to or residence in Tecate within two weeks of illness onset.

RMSF is endemic in multiple border states in northern Mexico, including but not limited to Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, and Nuevo León.

RMSF is a severe, rapidly progressive, and often deadly disease transmitted by infected ticks, although many patients do not recall being bitten by a tick.

Furthermore, the CDC says dogs can carry infected ticks that can bite humans.

This disease progresses rapidly, with about half of all people who die from this disease succumbing within eight days of illness onset. 

The CDC endorses Doxycycline as the treatment of choice for RMSF patients of all ages.

Doxycycline is offered in various pharmacies under different brand names.

As of December 9, 2023, there are no RMSF vaccines approved by the U.S. FDA.