Mediterranean spotted fever is a tick-borne disease caused by rickettsia conorii, a gram negative, obligate intracellular bacteria.
It is endemic around the Mediterranean.
Symptoms begin within 6 to 10 days of the tick bite:
- typical rash - a black crusted eshchar (tache noir) at site of tick bite then a macular rash that typically spares the face
- fever
- headache
- myalgia
Diagnosis tends to be by serology, which becomes positive 7 to 10 days after the onset of disease.
Treatment is with doxycycline.
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