Definition

1. Noun:
   • A tick-borne infectious disease: "Mountain fever" is a specific illness caused by bacteria of the genus Rickettsia and transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected wood tick.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The hiker was diagnosed with mountain fever after finding an embedded tick.
  • Symptoms of mountain fever can include fever, headache, and a distinctive rash.

Advanced Usage

• Medical/Historical Context: The term "mountain fever" is often used in historical or regional medical contexts, particularly in North America, to refer to what is now more precisely classified as Rocky Mountain spotted fever or a similar rickettsial disease.
  • Early settlers in the region greatly feared outbreaks of mountain fever.

Variants and Related Words

• Rocky Mountain spotted fever (n): The modern, more specific medical term for the primary disease historically called "mountain fever."
  • Rocky Mountain spotted fever is a serious but treatable illness.
• Tick-borne typhus (n): A broader categorical term for diseases similar to mountain fever.

Synonyms

• Spotted fever: A general synonym, though it can refer to other similar diseases.
• Tick fever: A more general, non-technical term for febrile illnesses transmitted by ticks.

Notes on Meaning

• The term "mountain fever" is specific and refers to a bacterial infection. It is not a general term for any fever experienced in mountainous regions. The name originates from the geographic areas (like the Rocky Mountains) where the transmitting ticks and cases were first prominently identified.

Noun

1. caused by rickettsial bacteria and transmitted by wood ticks