CDC: Three People Have Died From Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in New Outbreak
By Physician’s Briefing Staff HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, Dec. 11, 2023 -- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning of an outbreak of an often-fatal tickborne disease among people who have recently been to Baja California in Mexico.
Three out of five patients have died from infection with Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), the CDC said in a health advisory issued Friday. All five patients had traveled to the Baja city of Tecate within two weeks of their illness, the CDC added. The cases have occurred since late July. All were treated in Southern California hospitals.
Spread by brown dog ticks, RMSF can be fatal within days unless an infected person is treated early with the antibiotic doxycycline, the CDC noted. Half of all people who die from RMSF succumb within eight days of illness onset.
The CDC is urging doctors to start suspected RMSF patients on doxycycline as quickly as possible, particularly if a person develops early symptoms and has recently traveled to Northern Mexico.
"If RMSF is suspected, initiate treatment with doxycycline immediately," the CDC stressed. "Do not delay treatment pending laboratory confirmation. Early treatment saves lives."
Symptoms can be relatively mild and nonspecific during the first four days of illness, and can include fever, headache, gastrointestinal problems, abdominal pain, muscle pain, rash, and swelling around the eyes and the backs of the hands, the CDC says. If left untreated, infection can quickly progress to brain damage, organ failure, breathing problems, and coma. Infection can affect the lungs, heart, kidneys, and nervous system.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted December 2023
Read this next
Infectious Diseases Society of America, Oct. 16-19
The annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America was held this year from Oct. 16 to 19 in Los Angeles, drawing participants from around the world...
Novel Calculator Aids Infection Prevention and Control Staffing
TUESDAY, Oct. 22, 2024 -- A novel calculator allows facilities to staff their infection prevention and control program based on individual factors, according to a study published...
IDSA: Antibiotics for Seven Days Feasible for Patients Hospitalized With Bloodstream Infections
MONDAY, Oct. 21, 2024 -- Treating hospitalized patients with bloodstream infections with antibiotics for seven days is noninferior to treating for 14 days, according to a study...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.