Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Reported in Long Point

Tuesday, 26 August 2025 11:23

Photo Credit: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website

Several cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever have been linked to Long Point this summer.

LONG POINT - A tick-borne illness that's more common south of the border is now being found in southern Ontario.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever is a bacteria infection caused by a bacteria called Rickettsia, transmitted through the bite of the American dog tick. It's more commonly found in the eastern United States and the Appalachian region and both humans and animals can contract it.

Dr. Jason Malenfant, the Acting Medical Officer of Health for the Grand Erie Public Health Unit, says cases have been reported in Norfolk County this summer.

"We have been aware of several dogs that have tested positive for Rocky Mountain spotted fever that have visited the Long Point area. There is also potentially a human case that may have had exposure in Long Point."

The symptoms for dogs include fever, nausea and vomiting. Humans could also experience fever, nausea and vomiting, in addition to severe headaches, muscle pain and a spotted rash.

The incubation period ranges from two to 13 days after the initial tick bite, but Dr. Malenfant says the symptoms start to show after four days on average.

He says health care providers should be on the lookout for Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

"If it is left untreated it can be very severe and lead to significant morbidity and potentially even death. But if treatment is initiated with Doxycycline in a timely manner than it can easily result in a recovery."

If you are planning to visit Long Point or another area with long grass, make sure you wear long sleeves, long pants, and light coloured clothing so it's easy to spot ticks. It's also a good idea to wear bug spray with DEET and check your body for ticks right away. You should have a friend check your back and other areas that may be hard to check yourself. You can find tips on how to remove a tick online here.

The American dog tick is different from the Deer tick or black legged tick, which is known to carry Lyme disease.