We report a fatal case of Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) in a man in Brazil without recent history of tick bites or environmental exposure. He received an accidental needlestick while working as a nurse. The nurse and his patient died. Both cases were confirmed as RMSF by molecular methods.
Keywords: Brazil; RMSF; Rickettsia; Rickettsia rickettsii; Rocky Mountain spotted fever; bacteria; needlestick injuries; rickettsial infections; tickborne diseases; vector-borne infections; zoonoses.