Discover the star tick. The case of pilot Douglas Costa and his partner Mariana Giordano, who were killed hours after the parasite’s deadly sting, has put this species of animal in the spotlight. There spotted fever of the Rocky Mountains is a rare and life-threatening infectious disease caused by bacteria called rickettsia, which are transmitted to humans through the feces of certain species of ticks found in the Rocky Mountain regions. After a tick bite, insect droppings containing the bacteria enter the body through small skin lesions, often caused by scratching. The bacteria localize mainly in the endothelial cells of small blood vessels and cause injury by a toxic substance produced by the bacterium, which leads to inflammation, thrombosis, necrosis and rupture of the vessels. Symptoms of the disease include high fever, general malaise and severe headaches, often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and sensitivity to light. A few days after the onset of the fever, a maculopapular rash appears, which is usually red and associated with small skin bleeds called petechiae. The severity of symptoms can vary from person to person. Other clinical manifestations may affect the lungs, upper respiratory tract, ears (with otitis) and eyes (conjunctivitis) due to the thrombotic lesions caused by damage to blood vessels. Diagnosis of the disease is based on serological tests to detect specific antibodies. Treatment consists of using specific antibiotics to fight the infection and medication to relieve symptoms.
