[citation needed] CTF is seasonal, mostly occurring in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States and usually in altitudes from 4,000 to 10,000 feet (1,600 to 3,000 meters).

If for some reason the tick is not able to find a host before the winter, it will stay under ground cover until spring, when it can resume its search.

The ticks become carriers of the CTF virus by feeding on infected reservoir animals like small rodents.

Some tests include complement fixation to Colorado tick virus, immunofluorescence for Colorado tick fever, and some other common laboratory findings suggestive of CTF, including leucopenia, thrombocytopenia, and mildly elevated liver enzyme levels.

[8] To avoid tick bites and infection, experts advise: Contracting the CTF virus is thought to provide long-lasting immunity against reinfection.

The first action is to make sure the tick is fully removed from the skin, then acetaminophen and analgesics can be used to help relieve the fever and pain.

People who suspect they have been bitten by a tick or are starting to show signs of CTF should contact their physicians immediately.

This method, once thought safe, can cause the tick to regurgitate expelling any disease it may be carrying into the bite wound.

[9] The disease is found almost exclusively in the western United States and Canada, mostly in high mountain areas such as Colorado and Idaho.