Rocky Mountain spotted fever

noun

, Pathology.

1. an infectious disease characterized by high fever, pains in joints, bones, and muscles, and a cutaneous eruption, caused by rickettsii and transmitted by ticks: first reported in the Rocky Mountain area, but now more widely distributed.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever

noun

1. an acute rickettsial disease characterized by high fever, chills, pain in muscles and joints, skin rash, etc. It is caused by the bite of a tick infected with the microorganism Rickettsia rickettsii

Rocky Mountain spotted fever

/ rŏk′ē /

1. An acute infection caused by the bacteria Rickettssia Rickettii and transmitted by ticks of the family Ixodidae . It is characterized by fever, extreme exhaustion, muscle pains, and skin rash.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Rocky Mountain spotted fever¹

An Americanism dating back to 1885–90