Rickettsia prowazekii


Rick·ett·si·a pro·wa·ze·ki·i

a bacterial species causing epidemic and recrudescent typhus, transmitted by body lice; type species of the genus Rickettsia.

Rick·ett·si·a pro·wa·ze·ki·i

(ri-ket'sē-ă prō-vă-zek'ē-ī) A bacterial species causing epidemic and recrudescent typhus, transmitted by body lice; type species of the genus Rickettsia.

Rickettsia prowazekii

The causative agent of epidemic typhus. It is spread by the human body louse. Unlike most other rickettsias, humans are the primary reservoir for R. prowazekii, which was once thought to be a strictly human pathogen. Flying squirrels may be animal reservoirs, and humans acquire infection from their lice or fleas. Synonym: louse-borne typhusSee also: Rickettsia

Ricketts,

Howard T., U.S. pathologist, 1871-1910. Rickettsia akari - a species causing human rickettsialpox.Rickettsia australis - a species causing a spotted fever.Rickettsia conrii - an African species probably causing boutonneuse fever.Rickettsia prowazekii - a species causing epidemic typhus.Rickettsia rickettsii - the agent of Rocky Mountain spotted fever.Rickettsia sibirica - the agent of Siberian or North Asian tick typhus.Rickettsia tsutsugamushi - a species causing tsutsugamushi disease and scrub typhus.Rickettsia typhi - a species causing murine or endemic typhus fever.rickettsial - pertaining to or caused by rickettsiae.rickettsialpox - an acute disease caused by Rickettsia akari; transmitted by the mite.rickettsiosis - infection with rickettsiae.rickettsiostatic - an agent inhibitory to the growth of Rickettsia.