tetracycline and Rocky-Mountain-Spotted-Fever

Rocky Mountain spotted fever is caused by the tick-borne bacterium Rickettsia rickettsii. Symptoms range from moderate illness to severe illness, including cardiovascular compromise, coma and death. The disease is prevalent in most of the USA, especially during warmer months. The trademark presentation is fever and rash with a history of tick bite, although tick exposure is unappreciated in over a third of cases. Other signature symptoms include headache and abdominal pain. The antibiotic therapy of choice for R. rickettsii infection is doxycycline. Preventive measures for Rocky Mountain spotted fever and other tick-borne diseases include: wearing long-sleeved, light colored clothing; checking for tick attachment and removing attached ticks promptly; applying topical insect repellent; and treating clothing with permethrin.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Arachnid Vectors; Bites and Stings; Dermacentor; Doxycycline; Humans; Insect Repellents; Insecticides; Permethrin; Rickettsia rickettsii; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Tetracycline

Information about changes in the modern taxonomy of intracellular bacteria conditionally united within the nomination of "Rickettsioses" is presented in the paper. Due to a total hobby related with keeping home animals (pets), cats and dogs, apart from the cattle, joined the natural ecological cycles of rickettsioses stimulation. The morbidity of rickettsioses of the acaroid group has been persistently growing; like in case with other pathologies (Lyme's disease) involving the acaroid transfer factor, its obvious "urbanization" is pronounced. Absolute and relative morbidity indices in respect to rickettsioses, which are epidemiologically important for Russia, are presented. The modern knowledge database concerning the rickettsioses makes it possible to control the epidemic process for this infection category. It is noteworthy, that Prowazek's rickettsiosis of its both forms (i.e. the epidemic and relapsing ones), which does not have an independent cycle of circulation of its stimulator in wild nature, and unlike the acaroid group rickettsioses, turned into a socially controllable infection. It will be totally eliminated, during 10-15 years, both in Russia and the CIS countries. The practitioners are well supplied with a variety of drugs of tetracycline and fluorine-quinol groups, which makes it possible to arrest the infection process in patients rapidly and effectively and to prevent the lethal cases. A low incidence rate of rickettsioses, including Q fever, within the general infection morbidity, and taking into consideration the availability of methods for effective therapy and prevention, makes one consider a comprehensive vaccination against the discussed group of infections to be irrational. Obviously, such vaccination must be still applied in respect to a limited number of persons from among high-risk groups and for two or three varieties of rickettsioses only (i.e. Prowazek's rickettsioses, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Q fever). Live vaccines, obtained on the basis of attenuated and recombined strains (which have a full-scale set of specific antigens), are recommended.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Anti-Infective Agents; Bacterial Vaccines; Cats; Cattle; Dogs; Fluoroquinolones; Humans; Immunization; Q Fever; Rickettsia; Rickettsia Infections; Rickettsia prowazekii; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Russia; Tetracycline; Typhus, Epidemic Louse-Borne

Topics: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Chloramphenicol; Diagnosis, Differential; Humans; Prognosis; Rickettsia rickettsii; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Tetracycline

Topics: Adrenal Cortex Hormones; Chloramphenicol; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; Humans; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Tetracycline

Topics: Arachnid Vectors; Chloramphenicol; Diagnosis, Differential; Enterovirus Infections; Humans; Measles; Meningococcal Infections; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Tetracycline; Ticks

Topics: Amantadine; Antiviral Agents; Chloramphenicol; Cytarabine; Cytomegalovirus Infections; Erythromycin; gamma-Globulins; Herpes Simplex; Herpes Zoster; Humans; Idoxuridine; Influenza, Human; Interferons; Mycoplasma Infections; Poxviridae Infections; Q Fever; Rickettsia Infections; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Tetracycline; Thiosemicarbazones; Typhus, Epidemic Louse-Borne; Virus Diseases

Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Chloramphenicol; Clinical Competence; Doxycycline; History, 20th Century; Humans; Pediatrics; Periodicals as Topic; Practice Patterns, Physicians'; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Surveys and Questionnaires; Tetracycline

Topics: Administration, Oral; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Chloramphenicol; Doxycycline; Eye Infections, Bacterial; Humans; Infusions, Intravenous; Rickettsia rickettsii; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Tetracycline

Between 1981 and 1992, the Centers for Disease Control collected and summarized 9,223 cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) reported from 46 states. Four states (North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and South Carolina) accounted for 48% of the reports. The annual incidence per million U.S. population decreased from a high in 1981 of 5.2 to a low in 1992 of 2.0, primarily due to decreased incidence in the southeast. Case report forms were filed on 7,650 patients, of whom 4,217 had laboratory-confirmed RMSF. The age group with the highest incidence was those 5-9 years of age. Most cases (90.0%) occurred between April 1 and September 30 and included a history of tick attachment (59.6%). Reported symptoms included fever (94.0%), headache (86.2%), myalgia (82.5%), and rash (80.2%). The case-fatality ratio was 4.0%. Risk factors associated with death included older age, delay in treatment or no treatment, and treatment with chloramphenicol (compared with tetracycline); however, insufficient data existed to fully assess the confounding effect of severity of illness on antibiotic choice.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Animals; Arachnid Vectors; Bites and Stings; Child; Child, Preschool; Chloramphenicol; Female; Hospitalization; Humans; Incidence; Male; Middle Aged; Risk Factors; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Seasons; Sex Factors; Tetracycline; Ticks; Time Factors; United States

Dogs were experimentally inoculated with Rickettsia rickettsii to characterize the comparative efficacies of chloramphenicol, enrofloxacin, and tetracycline for the treatment of Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF). All three antibiotics were equally effective in abrogating the clinical, hematologic, and vascular indicators of rickettsial infection. Antibiotic treatment for 24 h was sufficient to decrease the rickettsemia to levels below detection by Vero cell culture. Early treatment with all three antibiotics resulted in a similar decrease in antibody titer, but acute and convalescent serum samples taken at appropriate times would have still facilitated an accurate diagnosis of RMSF in all but one dog, which did not seroconvert. We conclude that chloramphenicol, enrofloxacin, and tetracycline are equally efficacious for treating experimental canine RMSF.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Infective Agents; Antibodies, Bacterial; Capillary Permeability; Chloramphenicol; Dogs; Enrofloxacin; Female; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; Fluoroquinolones; Quinolones; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Tetracycline; Vero Cells

Topics: Adult; Child; Child, Preschool; Chloramphenicol; Humans; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Tetracycline

Topics: Aged; Chloramphenicol; Diagnosis, Differential; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Humans; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Tetracycline

Topics: Aging; Child; Chloramphenicol; Humans; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Tetracycline

Topics: Chest Pain; Coronary Disease; Electrocardiography; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Splenomegaly; Tetracycline

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Child; Child, Preschool; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Physicians, Family; Prospective Studies; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Tetracycline; United States; Virus Diseases

Topics: Child; Diagnosis, Differential; Humans; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Tetracycline

Topics: Adult; Aged; Child; Female; Humans; Male; Pregnancy; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Tetracycline; United States

Inquiries regarding tick exposure can be important in dermatologic diagnosis and treatment since ticks can be vectors of a diversity of infectious diseases. The classic teaching is that ticks are best removed with nail polish, solvents, petrolatum, mineral oil, or a hot match. However, a recent evaluation of tick removal revealed that mechanical removal with forceps preceded and followed by disinfection is the most effective method. In most cases, should the characteristic dermatologic lesion or systemic symptoms appear, appropriate treatment should be initiated for presumptive diseases.

Topics: Animals; Arachnid Vectors; Bites and Stings; Humans; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Skin Diseases; Tetracycline; Ticks

Topics: Adult; Chloramphenicol; Female; Humans; Male; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Tetracycline; United States

Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) or ehrlichiosis was diagnosed in dogs on the basis of specific immunofluorescent testing for each disease. Comparisons between clinical and laboratory findings were made between the 2 diseases. The incidence of RMSF tended to be more seasonal and it affected younger dogs. Purebred dogs appeared to be more susceptible to both diseases. In general, RMSF had a more rapid and severe course of clinical illness than did ehrlichiosis, but acute ehrlichiosis was difficult to differentiate from RMSF. Both diseases were characterized by fever, depression, lymphadenopathy, and signs of neurologic dysfunction; petechial hemorrhages or other signs of hemorrhagic diathesis were evident only in a small proportion of cases. Anemia, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia were more common in dogs with ehrlichiosis, whereas those with RMSF more often had leukocytosis and thrombocytopenia. Hypoalbuminemia was found in dogs with both diseases, but those with ehrlichiosis usually had concurrent hyperglobulinemia. High serum alkaline phosphatase activity and serum cholesterol concentration, and low serum calcium concentration were more common in dogs with RMSF than with ehrlichiosis. Rising serum titers or positive direct immunofluorescence for Rickettsia rickettsii in skin biopsy specimens were used to confirm RMSF, whereas a single serum titer for Ehrlichia canis enabled detection of ehrlichiosis. In the absence of neurologic deficits and when dogs were treated with tetracycline, dogs with RMSF made a more rapid and consistent recovery than did dogs with ehrlichiosis.

Topics: Animals; Diagnosis, Differential; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Ehrlichia; Nervous System Diseases; Rickettsiaceae Infections; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Tetracycline

Topics: Bites and Stings; Chloramphenicol; Humans; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Tetracycline; Ticks; United States

Topics: Adult; Diagnosis, Differential; Humans; Male; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Seasons; Tetracycline; United States

Topics: Adult; Bites and Stings; Female; Humans; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Tetracycline; Ticks

Topics: Animals; Brazil; Chloramphenicol; Guinea Pigs; Humans; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Tetracycline; Tick Infestations; United States

Topics: Arthritis, Infectious; Bites and Stings; Diagnosis, Differential; Humans; Penicillins; Rheumatic Fever; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Tetracycline; Ticks; Yersinia Infections

Topics: Child; Humans; Male; Oklahoma; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Tetracycline

Sixty-six cases of serologically documented Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) from North Carolina are reviewed. Gastrointestinal manifestations were present in 80% of these patients. Because other common expressions of RMSF occasionally do not accompany severe gastrointestinal dysfunction, improper diagnosis and therapy can result. Sixty percent of the patients had hyponatremia and thrombocytopenia. Over 70% of those who had liver or muscle enzyme evaluations had at least one abnormality. RMSF should be strongly considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with a combination of these findings.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Child; Child, Preschool; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Gastrointestinal Diseases; Humans; Hyponatremia; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Male; Middle Aged; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Tetracycline; Thrombocytopenia

Rocky Mountain spotted fever continues to increase in the United States and the case-fatality ratio remains unchanged despite the availability of effective antibiotics. The apparent reason for the continuing deaths from this disease is the failure of physicians to consider the diagnosis in patients presenting with febrile exanthems in the late spring and summer months. A clinical diagnosis should be based on the history of tick exposure and the presence of fever and the typical exanthem. Serologic tests are useful mainly in retrospect. This article reviews the clinical experience with Rocky Mountain spotted fever in an endemic area in recent years and discusses problems in the diagnosis and management.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Child; Child, Preschool; Chloramphenicol; Diagnosis, Differential; Enterovirus Infections; Exanthema; Humans; Measles; Meningococcal Infections; Middle Aged; Ohio; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Seasons; Tetracycline

Topics: Age Factors; Child; Humans; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Tetracycline

Reported cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever in the United States have been increasing since 1960 and reached an all-time high of 754 cases in 1974. Detailed clinical and epidemiologic information was obtained on 1522 (55%) of the 2757 cases reported in the 5-year period 1970 through 1974. Fifty-one percent of cases were confirmed by one or more laboratory test. The increase has occurred predominantly in the southeastern part of the United States. A comparison of laboratory-confirmed and unconfirmed cases suggests that a variety of febrile exanthems may be confused with Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Neither a history of tick bite nor rash was universally present, and both were significantly less frequent in fatal cases. The overall death-to-case ratio during this period was 6.8%. Death-to-case ratios were significantly higher for nonwhites (13.9) than whites (5.8), for male patients (8.2) than female patients (4.5), and for person older than 30 (13.9) than persons younger than 30 (5.4).

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Child; Child, Preschool; Chloramphenicol; Diagnosis, Differential; Epidemiologic Methods; Female; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Male; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Seasons; Tetracycline; United States

During the period 1933-1973, 169 cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) were either reported by physicians or detected in a retrospective survey of hospitals and practicing physicians in Mississippi. The epidemiologic characteristics of 119 cases and the clinical features of 75 serologically confirmed cases are summarized in this communication and compared with other published reviews of RMSF. Although the percentage of reported fatal cases decreased overall since 1950, 9 of 49 reported cases (18%) in Mississippi were fatal during the period 1969-1972. The yearly number of reported cases of RMSF in Mississippi increased fourfold from 1970-1973. In the past 40 years, only 5 cases of RMSF have been reported from the Mississippi delta, a flat agricultural region that includes over one fourth of the total population of the state.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Arachnid Vectors; Child; Chloramphenicol; Epidemiologic Methods; Female; Humans; Male; Mississippi; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Seasons; Tetracycline; Ticks

Topics: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Disease Vectors; Humans; Rickettsia Infections; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Tetracycline; Ticks

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Child; Child, Preschool; Chloramphenicol; Disease Reservoirs; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; New York City; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Tetracycline

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Antibodies, Bacterial; Black People; Child; Child, Preschool; Chloramphenicol; Drug Synergism; Erythromycin; Female; Health Surveys; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Penicillins; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Sex Factors; Tetracycline; United States; White People

Topics: Age Factors; Child; Female; Health Surveys; Humans; Male; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Rural Population; Seasons; Sex Factors; Tetracycline; United States; White People

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Bites and Stings; Blood Cell Count; Blood Coagulation Tests; Child; Child, Preschool; Chloramphenicol; Complement Fixation Tests; Female; Fever; Headache; Humans; Leukocytosis; Male; Mental Disorders; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Seasons; Serologic Tests; Skin Diseases; South Carolina; Tetracycline; Ticks

Topics: Adult; Complement Fixation Tests; Hematocrit; Humans; Leukocyte Count; Male; Methods; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Tetracycline; Tetrazolium Salts

Topics: Adolescent; Brain; Child, Preschool; Chloramphenicol; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Neurologic Manifestations; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Skin Manifestations; Tetracycline

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Child; Child, Preschool; Chloramphenicol; Erythromycin; Female; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Male; Middle Aged; Nervous System Diseases; New York; Penicillins; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Rural Population; Seasons; Sulfonamides; Tetracycline; Time Factors; Urban Population

Topics: Adult; California; Diagnosis, Differential; Humans; Male; Meningococcal Infections; Penicillins; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Tetracycline

Topics: Adolescent; Child; Child, Preschool; Chloramphenicol; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Humans; Infant; Male; Neurologic Manifestations; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Tetracycline

Topics: Adult; Age Factors; Animals; Child; Child, Preschool; Chloramphenicol; Complement Fixation Tests; Diagnosis, Differential; Dogs; Female; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; Hemagglutination Tests; Humans; Insect Bites and Stings; Leukocyte Count; Male; Massachusetts; Measles; Occupations; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Seasons; Tetracycline; Thrombocytopenia; Ticks; Zoonoses

Topics: Arthropod Vectors; Blood Coagulation; Capillary Permeability; Child, Preschool; Chloramphenicol; Diazonium Compounds; Humans; Iron; Male; Neurologic Manifestations; Nitrogen; Potassium; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Skin Manifestations; Sodium; Tetracycline; Ticks; Tryptophan

Topics: Female; Humans; Keratitis; Middle Aged; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Tetracycline; Uvea

Topics: Blood Cell Count; Blood Platelets; Exanthema; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Tetracycline

Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Drug Therapy; Humans; Illinois; Protein Synthesis Inhibitors; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Tetracycline