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

Example Sentences

Half of all Rocky Mountain spotted fever fatalities occur with eight days of disease symptoms starting.

From Washington Times

Fortunately, it’s a milder form than Rocky Mountain spotted fever, a sometimes fatal tick-borne illness.

From New York Times

But over the past few decades, various species of ticks have been migrating to new regions, leading to an increase in Rocky Mountain spotted fever cases throughout the South and mid-Atlantic.

From Scientific American

American dog ticks can spread Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

From Seattle Times

Every year people are diagnosed with and treated for tick-borne illnesses such as Lyme disease, anaplasmosis and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

From Scientific American