County of Los Angeles
Department of Public Health
Acute Communicable Disease Control
313 N. Figueroa Street, Room 212
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Phone: (213) 240-7941
Fax: (213) 482-4856
E-Mail:acdc2@ph.lacounty.gov
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Acute Communicable Disease Control
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Spotted Fever Group Rickettsia
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) and Spotted Fever group (SFG) Rickettsiaare diseases caused by Rickettsia bacteria that are
transmitted to people through the bite of an infected tick. RMSF, caused
by Rickettsia rickettsii is the most severe and most frequently
reported rickettsial illness in the United States (U.S).
Contrary to its name, RMSF is rare in the western U.S.; most cases occur
in the Midwest and southeastern U.S. Only one or two cases of RMSF are
reported each year in California.
Initial signs and symptoms of the disease include sudden onset of fever,
headache, and muscle pain, followed by development of rash. The disease
can be difficult to diagnose in the early stages, and without prompt and
appropriate treatment it can be fatal.
SFG Rickettsia can cause a fever, headache and a small open wound
about ¼ inch in size that turns into a dark scab (called an eschar). A
SFG Rickettsia called 364D has been recently identified from a
small number of people in northern California and has been found in the
Pacific Coast tick in eight counties, in both northern and southern
California.
