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South African Tick-Bite Fever

South African tick-bite fever is a disease passed to humans by ticks that are infected with an organism called Rickettsia africae. These ticks, known as buffalo ticks, usually live on cattle in southern Africa.

Symptoms usually begin within 8 days after the tick bite and may last for 1 to 15 days. Symptoms may include:

  • Fever and chills.
  • Multiple crusty skin sores, or sores that look like ulcers.
  • Swelling in the area of the skin sores.
  • Generalized swollen glands.

Unlike some tick-borne diseases, South African tick-bite fever does not cause a rash.

A person who has South African tick-bite fever is treated with antibiotics (usually doxycycline).

Current as of: November 18, 2017

Author: Healthwise Staff

Medical Review: William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine & Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine & H. Michael O'Connor, MD, MMEd, FRCPC - Emergency Medicine & W. David Colby IV, MSc, MD, FRCPC - Infectious Disease