Spotted fever group rickettsioses (spotted fevers) are a group of diseases caused by closely related bacteria. These bacteria are spread to people through ...SkipdirectlytositecontentSkipdirectlytopageoptionsSkipdirectlytoA-ZlinkOtherSpottedFeverGroupRickettsiosesSectionNavigationCDCHomeFacebookTwitterLinkedInSyndicateOtherSpottedFeverGroupRickettsiosesMinusRelatedPagesSpottedfevergrouprickettsioses(spottedfevers)areagroupofdiseasescausedbycloselyrelatedbacteria.Thesebacteriaarespreadtopeoplethroughthebiteofinfectedmitesandticks.ThemostseriousandcommonlyreportedspottedfevergrouprickettsiosisintheUnitedStatesisRockyMountainspottedfever(RMSF).Othercausesofspottedfevergrouprickettsioses(spottedfevers)intheUnitedStatesinclude:Rickettsiaparkeririckettsiosis,causedbyR.parkeriPacificCoasttickfever,causedbyRickettsia species364DRickettsialpox,causedbyRickettsiaakariSpottedfeverscanrangefrommildtolife-threatening.MostpeoplewhogetsickwithaspottedfeverotherthanRMSFwillhaveaneschar(darkscabatthesiteoftickormitebite),fever,headache,andrash.Doxycyclineisthetreatmentofchoiceforallspottedfeverinfections.SignsandSymptomsDiagnosisandTestingImportedSpottedFeversTreatmentPreventionForHealthCareProvidersTransmissionForPublicHealthOfficialsEpidemiologyandStatisticsPagelastreviewed:January18,2019Contentsource:CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention,NationalCenterforEmergingandZoonoticInfectiousDiseases(NCEZID),DivisionofVector-BorneDiseases(DVBD)homeOtherSpottedFeversHomeTransmissionSignsandSymptomsDiagnosticandTestingTreatmentPreventionForHealthCareProvidersImportedSpottedFeversForPublicHealthOfficialsFacebookTwitterLinkedInSASstatsExitNotification/DisclaimerPolicyCloseLinkswiththisiconindicatethatyouareleavingtheCDCwebsite.TheCentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention(CDC)cannotattesttotheaccuracyofanon-federalwebsite.Linkingtoanon-federalwebsitedoesnotconstituteanendorsementbyCDCoranyofitsemployeesofthesponsorsortheinformationandproductspresentedonthewebsite.Youwillbesubjecttothedestinationwe