Deadly Outbreak of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in Baja California

CDC confirms five cases, three fatal, among travelers to Mexico, highlighting the need for early diagnosis and treatment.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), a potentially deadly disease spread by ticks, has recently sickened five people who had traveled to or lived in Baja California, Mexico, and three of those patients have died, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The disease, caused by the bacterium Rickettsia rickettsii, can rapidly progress and lead to serious complications, including nerve and organ damage, partial paralysis, loss of bladder or bowel control, and gangrene, if left untreated.
Between late July and Dec. 8, 2023, the CDC confirmed five cases of RMSF in people who had traveled to or lived in Tecate, Baja California. Three were U.S. residents, and two were residents of Mexico.
RMSF is endemic in multiple border states in northern Mexico, and health care providers are advised to consider RMSF as a potential diagnosis in patients who have recently traveled to northern Mexico and have developed an unexplained fever.
Early symptoms of RMSF resemble those of many other diseases, making it tricky to catch early. If not treated promptly — within five days of the first symptoms — RMSF can start to cause confusion, shortness of breath, numbness, weakness or seizures.