A woman in La Crosse, Wisconsin, has died due to an illness spread by wood ticks.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services confirmed she died of Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
The victim was a woman in her late 50s, according to The Associated Press. She was bit while camping in western Wisconsin in early May.
The woman was diagnosed in early June and died days later, officials said.
Hers is the first documented death from Rocky Mountain spotted fever in the state of Wisconsin.
The disease is spread by the American dog tick, and typically found in the central and southeastern United States, WBAY reports.
Rocky Mountain spotted fever is rarely reported in Wisconsin.
Officials say the best way to prevent ticks is to avoid walking in tall grass, use repellent and check for ticks frequently.
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