Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) is the most severe tick-borne illness in the United States. Most people who get RMSF will have a fever, headache, and rash. RMSF is treated with antibiotics; however, if treatment is delayed RMSF can be deadly. RMSF is transmitted through the bite of an American dog tick, Rocky Mountain wood tick, or brown dog tick. There is no vaccine to prevent RMSF. The best way to prevent infection is to prevent tick bites, prevent ticks on your pets, and prevent ticks in your yard.

What to do if you find a tick:

If you find a tick attached to your skin, remove the tick as soon as possible. Testing a tick for pathogens is not recommended for a variety of reasons.

Teton County Weed & Pest District (TCWP) is interested in collecting ticks that people may come across from anywhere in Wyoming. This collection method, commonly known as passive surveillance, is part of a large surveillance program to learn more about the ticks in Wyoming, such as tick species richness, diversity, abundance, phenology, distribution, as well as tick-borne pathogen presence and prevalence. The TCWP laboratory will be testing live, non-blood fed ticks for pathogens that can cause diseases in humans.

If you encounter ticks and want to donate them to science, they can be adhered to clear packing tape that’s folded in on itself or placed on cardstock or cardboard. Alternatively, a double-bagged Ziplock bag or small container with a slightly damp tissue inside can help keep them alive for pathogen testing.

Submit ticks within a few days (if possible) via mail to:

Teton County Weed & Pest District

ATTN: Mikenna Smith / Laboratory

7575 South US Hwy 89

Jackson, WY 83001