Yikes. Man, I hate ticks. Luckily I don't often hike where they're prevalent (coast ranges and Sierra foothills), but I still come across them, both on myself and the dog. I understand RMSF is not uncommon, with several hundred cases yearly in the US.

On a related matter I worked with somebody who got plague from a flea bite. She'd been in Colorado and evidently was bitten while fishing, but didn't come down with symptoms until she was back in California, which delayed the diagnosis somewhat. Sierra campgrounds are occasionally closed due to plague outbreaks, which just seems weird.

Cheers,