Case of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in Cass County

The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency was notified last week by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services of a case of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
The case was reported Thursday and occurred in a child residing in Cass County.
Agency officials said the incident is the first confirmed contracted case of the disease in Michigan since 2009.
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is a bacterial infection that can be fatal in the first eight days of symptoms if not treated correctly. It is one of four tick diseases for which outdoor enthusiasts and/or pet owners should be concerned.
Other tick-borne diseases are: Lyme Disease, Tularemia and Human Ehrlichiosis. All of the diseases, including RMSF, are treatable with antibiotics.