Rocky Mountain Fever
The illness begins you have an infected tick that bites you, latches on to your skin, and then spreads these germs into your bloodstream. This illness is not contagious and is not contracted from person to person. Treatment for the disease needs to be prompt, as in some cases it can go from a light case to extremely serious. Symptomatology of Rocky Mountain Fever You will usually run a high fever of 102 or better. There will be chills. A severe headache is frequent. You'll have various aches and pains over your body. Restlessness is common. There is often vomiting and nausea present. Your appetite will not be there There is a fatigue present. It is common to see rashes, or blotches. It takes time for these signs to appear anywhere from 2 days right up to 14 days. As you develop this bacterial illness, more symptoms I mentioned will appear and you will become sicker. It is common for a rash to break out by the third day or as late as the fifth day of having a high fever. You may see the rash on the ankles, wrists, your hands, or your feet. This rash is very active after starting and can spread around to the torso area. The organism known for causing Rocky Mountain Fever is the organism they term Rickettsia rickettsii. The only way to get this bacteria is through a tick bite. Ticks favor many body parts from your head to your toes. If you have skin that is broken in any way by a cut or otherwise, it is easier for ticks to transmit their bacterial agents to your blood stream this way. Ticks that cause this fever There is a family of ticks called Ixodidaeor ticks. These ticks live in bushes that are close to the ground and also thrive in grass that has grown high. They are present in the spring or summer, especially within the earlier summer period. The wood tick lives more in the Western States, whereas in the Eastern states there is the american dog tick. In going toward the states that are within the Central American regions and South American Regions, there is the brown dog tick as well as the lone star tick. The risk of getting this illness all depends upon where you reside in the states and how much time you spend outdoors. Diagnosis of Rocky Mountain Fever The diagnosis is made by looking over the symptoms present, and then a blood test. The blood test should tell about the tick that is present by the organism. Catching this illness in the earliest stages is very important, as if treated late, you can have the following problems: Heart failure Possible kidney failure Lung failure Meningitis that is bacterial Damage to the brain Blood cannot clot properly Going into shock This illness may cause death if treatment is let go too late. Treating the problem The most important thing first is to remove the tick that caused the infection. After this, antibiotics will be given to stop the infection. Prevention If you see a tick anywhere on your skin, remove it with tweezers and crush it without touching it on your hands. That is dangerous since germs from the tick can still stick. You should keep the tick in a baggie so that it can be tested for the germs and bacteria that are there. If you have no signs after two weeks have passed, throw the tick out by flushing it down the toilet.
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