Epidemiology
As the name may imply, Rocky Mountain spotted fever is limited to regions of the United States in proximity to the Rocky Mountains (the mountainous regions encompassing the northern most part of British Columbia to southwestern United States); however, the name RMSF is somewhat of a misnomer. Cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever have been reported in every continent except Antarctica, and in every state in the U.S. except for Maine, Alaska, and Hawaii.
Approximately 90% of all infections occur within the months of April to September, the time period in which adult and nymphal ticks are the highest. The areas of the U.S. with the greatest reported cases of RMSF are the mid to south Atlantic states, including DE, MD, DC, VA, WV, NC, SC.
It is estimated that approximately 1200 or more new cases of RMSF will present on a yearly basis.
Read more about this topic: Rickettsia Rickettsii