Health authorities of USA they urged travelers arriving from Mexico to monitor their health due to a disease that has been detected in the north of the country, caused by a bacteria transmitted by the bite of a tick that lives on dogs.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported the presence of the Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF, in English) in people who arrive in the country from Tecate, Baja California.
The CDC notes that RMSF can be deadlyand they call for medical attention to people who have traveled to Tecate or another city in northern Mexico and present symptoms during the trip or two weeks after returning to the United States.
CDC issues HAN Health Advisory for providers & the public about an outbreak of Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) among people in the US with recent travel to or residence in the city of Tecate, state of Baja California, Mexico.
Read full alert: https://t.co/6edvtrTm4q pic.twitter.com/n7a1IA3iWn
— CDC (@CDCgov) December 8, 2023
They warn of their presence in northern Mexico
They detail that this disease has been detected in urban areas from several states in northern Mexico, including Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila and New Lion.
These ticks can stay anywhere dogs livewhich can be carriers of these infected parasites.
Also called Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) is a acute febrile illness tick-borne disease caused by the bacteria Rickettsia rickettsii, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Patients often present with symptoms four to ten days after exposure to the bacteria due to tick bite.
Additionally, they may or may not remember the tick bite, since the tick does not need to have prolonged contact with the host to cause an infection.
Symptoms of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Symptoms include fever, headache and rashas may also include lymphadenopathychanges in the central nervous system such as confusion or neck stiffness, myalgias and arthralgias, hepatitis, vomiting and cardiovascular instability.
The rash often starts around the wrists and ankles.
Health authorities recommend avoiding exposure to ticks, keeping homes and surroundings clean, giving adequate care to domestic animals, and using commercial or natural repellents on both the body and clothing.
