spotted fever

noun

, Pathology.

1. any of several fevers characterized by spots on the skin, especially as in cerebrospinal meningitis or typhus fever.
2. tick fever.

spotted fever

noun

1. any of various severe febrile diseases characterized by small irregular spots on the skin, as in Rocky Mountain spotted fever or tick fever

Word History and Origins

Origin of spotted fever¹

First recorded in 1640–50

Example Sentences

In the case of tick-borne diseases, for example, Beard noted that the geographic ranges have already expanded in recent years for ticks that spread Lyme, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis and spotted fever rickettsiosis.

From Salon

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