Treatment of choice for Rocky Mountain spotted fever

Doxycycline (Doryx, Vibramycin) is the first choice antibiotic for Rocky Mountain spotted fever in children of all ages. A survey of clinicians about appropriate treatment for Rocky Mountain spotted fever found that most practitioners (80%), including primary care physicians, internists, and pediatricians, recognized that doxycycline was the antibiotic of choice for anyone aged older than 8 years. Fewer knew, however, that this antibiotic also was the treatment of choice for younger children, with 51% of pediatricians (more than any other respondent group) correctly selecting doxycycline (Zientek J, et al. J Pediatr. 2014;164[2]:416-418).