Will one die from rocky mountain spotted fever?

A few people do die: Rocky mountain spotted fever (rmsf) is a rickettsia (type of bacteria) infection transmitted by a tick bite. Symptoms start in 1 week (2-14day range). The germ attacks the cells lining the small blood vessels throughout the body, causing multi-organ damage and sometimes death. Death rate is uncertain, but may be about one out of 30 patients. Some patients do worse than others.

If treatment begins: Within several days, mortality is quite low but deaths certainly do occur when the infection is not recognized quickly.