Rocky Mountain spotted fever

Rocky Moun·tain spotted fever

noun \ˈräk-ē-ˈmau̇nt-^ən-\

Definition of ROCKY MOUNTAIN SPOTTED FEVER

: an acute bacterial disease that is characterized by chills, fever, prostration, pains in muscles and joints, and a red purple eruption and that is caused by a bacterium of the genus Rickettsia (R. rickettsii) usually transmitted by ixodid ticks and especially by the American dog tick and Rocky Mountain wood tick