Transmission
You can get RMSF disease from the bite of an infected tick. In the United States, the American dog tick and the Rocky Mountain wood tick are the main vectors (carriers) of RMSF bacteria. The wood tick is found mainly in the Rocky Mountain States, including Montana, Idaho, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and Nevada.
The dog tick is found from the Great Plains to the East Coast, in Alaska and Hawaii, and in parts of California. The dog tick is not found in the interior northwest.
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American Dog Tick |
Rocky Mountain Wood Tick |
Photo Credit: The tick photos were obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.