Rocky Mountain spotted fever

noun

: an acute disease that is characterized by chills, fever, prostration, pains in muscles and joints, and a red to purple eruption and that is caused by a rickettsial bacteria (Rickettsia rickettsii) usually transmitted by an ixodid tick and especially the American dog tick, brown dog tick, or a wood tick

Examples of Rocky Mountain spotted fever in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Lyme disease, Powassan virus, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and Heartland virus are just a few of them. —Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 16 Oct. 2024

Tick bites can transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tick-borne relapsing fever. —Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 18 June 2024

This tick, along with the American dog tick and brown dog tick, can infect people with a potentially fatal disease called Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF).5 Where Do Ticks Bite? The first thing the tick will likely do is look for a good spot to bite. —Maria Masters, Health, 9 June 2024

The creatures’ bites can spread a range of rarer illnesses, including Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Powassan virus disease, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, and alpha-gal syndrome. —Jamie Ducharme, TIME, 31 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1905, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

Rocky Mountain spotted fever

noun

: a disease that is caused by a bacterium passed on by the bite of a tick and that is characterized by chills, fever, headache, pains in the muscles and joints, and a red to purple rash

Medical Definition

Rocky Mountain spotted fever

noun

Rocky Moun·​tain spotted fever ˈräk-ē-ˈmau̇nt-ᵊn- 

: an acute bacterial disease that is characterized by chills, fever, prostration, pains in muscles and joints, and a red purple eruption and that is caused by a bacterium of the genus Rickettsia (R. rickettsii) usually transmitted by ixodid ticks and especially by the American dog tick, brown dog tick, and Rocky Mountain wood tick