Woman died of Rocky Mountain spotted fever

A Guilford County woman's death from Rocky Mountain spotted fever has health officials reminding the public to be vigilant in preventing tick bites.

The 61-year-old woman died in May. Her doctors diagnosed the disease and recently the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the findings. This is first death attributed to Rocky Mountain spotted fever since 2005 in North Carolina.

Last year, there were 862 reported cases of the disease. So far this year, there are 261 reported cases.

According to the CDC, key symptoms are fever, muscle pain, headache and a rash. Most patients require hospitalization.

There a number of ways to limit exposure to ticks. Here are some suggestions:

-- wear light-colored clothing;

-- tuck pant legs into socks;

-- apply tick repellent;

-- conduct a body check after visiting potentially tick-infested areas;

-- and check children, clothing and pets.

If you have been bitten by a tick, remove it quickly. Use fine-tipped tweezers and protect your fingers as much as possible. Grab the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull upward with steady pressure. Do not twist, because this could cause the tick's mouth parts to break off and remain in the skin.

Wash the skin with soap and water. Keep the tick so if you become sick later, the tick's species can be identified.