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By Mayo Clinic staffYour risk of contracting Rocky Mountain spotted fever depends on:
- What part of the United States you're in
- How much time you spend in grassy or wooded areas
- How well you protect yourself from tick bites
It's important to take precautions against exposure to ticks and to be sure to check yourself and your dog for ticks after being outside.
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- Sexton DJ. Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of Rocky Mountain spotted fever. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 31, 2009.
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever: Questions and answers. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ticks/disease/rocky_mountain_spotted_fever/faq.htm. Accessed Aug. 3, 2009.
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec14/ch177/ch177f.html. Accessed Aug. 3, 2009.
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- Rocky Mountain spotted fever. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/rockyMountainSpottedFever/default.htm. Accessed Aug. 3, 2009.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, et al. Diagnosis and management of tickborne rickettsial diseases: Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichioses, and anaplasmosis - United States. MMWR Recommendations and Reports. 2006;55:4. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/rr/rr5504.pdf. Accessed Aug. 3, 2009.
- Sexton DJ. Treatment of Rocky Mountain spotted fever. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 31, 2009.
- Removing ticks. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ticks/tick_removal.html. Accessed Aug. 3, 2009.