RGD uses the Human Disease Ontology (DO, https://disease-ontology.org/) for disease curation across species. RGD automatically downloads each new release of the ontology on a monthly basis. Some additional terms which are required for RGD's curation purposes but are not currently covered in the official version of DO have been added. As corresponding terms are added to DO, these custom terms are retired and the DO terms substituted in existing annotations and subsequently used for curation.
A primary bacterial infectious disease that results in infection, located in endothelial cell of artery or located in endothelial cell of vein, has_material_basis_in Rickettsia, which is transmitted by ticks and mites. The infection has symptom fever, has symptom headache, has symptom fatigue, has symptom muscle aches, and has symptom maculopapular or petechial rash. A distinctive eschar (blackened or crusted skin) may develop at the site of a tick bite. (DO)