Final answer:
The false statement about the causative agent of Rocky Mountain spotted fever is that it is found in soil and water. Rickettsia rickettsii, responsible for the disease, is not commonly present in these environments but rather lives within the cells of ticks and is transmitted to humans through tick bites.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement about the causative agent of Rocky Mountain spotted fever which is false is E) It is found in soil and water. The correct information about the causative agent of Rocky Mountain spotted fever, which is Rickettsia rickettsii, includes the following facts:
A) It is an intracellular parasite.
B) It is transmitted by ticks.
C) It is in the genus Rickettsia.
D) It is gram-negative.
Rickettsia rickettsii, which causes Rocky Mountain spotted fever, is not typically found in soil and water but is an obligate intracellular bacteria that lives within the cells of ticks and can be transmitted to humans via a bite from an infected tick.