American Idol Alum Dexter Roberts Has Rocky Mountain Spotted Tick Fever

Dexter Roberts

Axelle Woussen/Bauer-Griffin

By Janine Rayford Rubenstein

@JanineRayford

08/03/2014 07:30AM

Singer Dexter Roberts, who finished seventh place on last season's American Idol , abruptly left the show's live tour in July due to an unknown illness.

Now Roberts, 23, has shared via his Facebook page what was responsible for taking him down.

"After months of hospital and doctor visits, I finally have a diagnosis," he wrote on Thursday. "I have Rocky Mountain Spotted Tick Fever, with symptoms of fever, rash, headache, abdominal issues, shortness of breath and muscle pain."

The Fayette, Alabama, native believes he contracted the illness when he went back home after the Idol finale in May.

"I went on a turkey hunt in Kentucky," writes Roberts, "I found several ticks on me throughout the four day hunt, but that is nothing unusual for turkey hunting."

According to the CDC, Rocky Mountain Spotted Tick Fever bacterium "is a cause of potentially fatal human illness in North and South America, and is transmitted to humans by the bite of infected tick species."

Since receiving the proper diagnosis, Roberts says he's started medication and is hoping for a full recovery.