title: Rocky Mountain spotted fever. When and why to consider the diagnosis.
abstract: Rocky Mountain spotted fever, caused by a rickettsial organism transmitted by the bite of a tick, can be confused with many more common diseases. Diagnosis is made more challenging by the fact that treatment is most efficacious if begun before the second week of illness. Tetracycline and doxycycline are the most successful therapeutic agents against this potentially fatal disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill School of Medicine 27599-7030.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Fischer
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D012373:Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D013997:Time Factors