The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an official health warning on Friday regarding the outbreak of Rocky Mountain spotted fever in northern Mexico near the California border, where five people have been hospitalized in Southern California and three have died since the end of July.
Key Facts
The CDC reported that all five patients in California had traveled from Tijuana, Mexico, or lived there within two weeks of their infection, with four of them being under the age of eighteen.
Rocky Mountain spotted fever is spread by ticks closely associated with household pets in urban and surrounding environments (tick bites are painless, so you may not notice when bitten), as well as dogs that have been bitten by ticks, but it is not transmitted from person to person, according to the CDC.
Symptoms of Rocky Mountain spotted fever include fever, rash, and headache, and according to the CDC, the rash is mild and typically appears on the patient’s arms and lower extremities about 2-4 days after symptoms begin, although some patients may not show any rash.
The CDC warned that the disease can progress rapidly and be fatal if the patient is not treated with a drug called doxycycline within the first five days of illness.
The CDC also issued a warning to citizens about the spread of the disease in urban areas in several states in northern Mexico, including Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, and Nuevo Leon, advising to take normal precautions when traveling to those areas, such as checking your body and clothing and your children’s bodies for ticks, or seeking guidance from a veterinarian if traveling with your dog.
Background
Rocky Mountain spotted fever is prevalent in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, although it is also common in the states of Arkansas, Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, where more than 50% of all cases occur, according to the CDC. It is one of the most serious tick-borne illnesses.
Christopher Paddock, the chief medical officer at the CDC and an expert on the disease, told The Washington Post that half of Rocky Mountain spotted fever patients die within the first eight days of infection. Paddock described the disease as “very unfortunate.” Children under five are at a greater risk of death compared to adults. Fortunately, it is a rare and sporadic disease. The disease can occur at any time of year, but most cases are recorded between May and August.
The Big Number
40%. This is the fatality rate for people who contract the disease in Mexico, according to the CDC.
Further Reading
CDC warning about deadly tick-borne disease
Three people killed in Rocky Mountain spotted fever outbreak, according to CDC warning
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