Jennifer McQuiston, DVM

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and the importance of timely treatment with doxycycline

CDC epidemiologist and author of a study published in The Journal of Pediatrics, Dr. Jennifer McQuiston joined me to talk about the tick borne disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) and the importance of timely treatment with the drug of choice, doxycycline.

Because the antibiotic carries the warning of tooth staining in children under 8 years of age, some physicians hesitate to treat suspected cases of RMSF in young children putting them at risk of serious infection and possibly death.

McQuiston says, based on the study, “This shouldn’t be a reason to avoid this life-saving drug. Changing the drug’s label may encourage physicians to use doxycycline earlier to treat suspected RMSF in children, which will help save lives.”

This originally aired on the Outbreak News This Week Radio Show on March 29, 2015

Characteristic spotted rash of Rocky Mountain spotted fever/CDC