Possible Needle-Associated Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Abstract

To the Editor: We recently treated a physician in whom Rocky Mountain spotted fever developed, and who had no recent history of tick bite, tick contact or contact with dogs. Circumstantial evidence indicated that he had acquired his infection through an accidental puncture with a needle from a patient with a fatal illness characterized by rash, headache, myalgia, fever and eventual vascular collapse.On September 17, 1974, a 28-year-old physician noted unilateral axillary lymphadenopathy associated with an area of erythema, and tender induration on his arm at the site where he had accidentally incurred a puncture wound with a . . .