Two Very Sick Kids on Two Opposite Coasts

They come from opposite coasts, but their symptoms are too similar to ignore. Can you find the common thread in these cases?

Dr. Jonathan Schneider has juxtaposed 2 cases of febrile rash in young boys who live in very different geogrpahic regions. He has a good teaching reason for his choices, as you'll find out as you click through the case above.     Internet ResourcesMedscape - Rocky Mountain spotted fever (updated December 2014) http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/228042-overviewCDC Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (updated 2013)http://www.cdc.gov/rmsf/CDC handout on tickborne diseaseshttp://www.cdc.gov/lyme/resources/tickbornediseases.pdfMedscape – Tick Borne Diseaseshttp://emedicine.medscape.com/article/786652-overviewF Journal ReferencesDrage LA. Life-threatening rashes: dermatologic signs of four infectious diseases. Mayo Clin Proc. 1999;74:68-72.Thorner AR, Walker DH, Petri WA Jr. Rocky mountain spotted fever. Clin Infect Dis. 1998;27:1353-9; quiz 1360Cale DF, McCarthy MW.  Treatment of Rocky Mountain spotted fever in children.  Ann Pharmacother.    1997;31:492-494.Silber JL. Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Clin Dermatol. 1996;1:245-58.Walker DH. Rocky Mountain spotted fever: a seasonal alert.  Clin Infect Dis. 1995;20:1111-7.Dumler JS, Walker DH.  Diagnostic tests for Rocky Mountain spotted fever and other rickettsial diseases.Dermatol Clin. 1994;12:25-36.Myers SA, Sexton DJ.  Dermatologic manifestations  of arthropod-borne diseases.  Infect Dis Clin North Am. 1994;8:689-712.Belman AL. Tick-borne diseases. Semin Pediatr Neurol, 1999;6:249-66.Â