Diagnosis and Testing

Español (Spanish)
Related Pages
  • The signs and symptoms of RMSF are similar to those of many other diseases. See your healthcare provider if you develop any of the signs or symptoms of RMSF.
  • Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you become ill and have recently been bitten by a tick or have spent time in areas where ticks may be found.
  • Your healthcare provider may order certain blood tests to look for evidence of RMSF.
  • The results of these tests can take weeks. If your healthcare provider thinks your illness might be RMSF, he or she should recommend antibiotic treatment before test results are available.
Page last reviewed: February 19, 2019
Content source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID) , Division of Vector-Borne Diseases (DVBD)