The 20 Best Spotted Fever Doctors Near Me in walterboro, SC

Rocky Mountain spotted fever is a disease caused by ticks that carry the Rickettsia rickettsii bacterium. This bacterium is spread to humans through tick bites. There are several species of ticks in the U.S. that can spread the disease; however, in the eastern U.S. the bacteria are carried by dog ticks, and in the western states, by the wood tick. Rocky Mountain spotted fever most commonly occurs in Arkansas, Georgia, Virginia, Missouri, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Oklahoma. Most cases occur in the spring and summer in children. If untreated, the infection can lead to serious health problems, such as brain damage, kidney and heart failure, meningitis, and pneumonitis. Rocky Mountain spotted fever can be life-threatening if not treated early.