Rickettsia

• Rickettsia

  Genus of bacteria
• Rickettsia species

  • Rickettsia rickettsi
  • Rickettsia prowazeki
  • Rickettsia typhi
• Rickettsia species

  • Do not have a cell wall
• Rocky mountain spotted fever

  Caused by Rickettsia rickettsi
• Rash in rocky mountain spotted fever

  Starts at wrists and ankles and spreads
• Symptoms of rocky mountain spotted fever

  Fever, sweating, confusion, muscle aches
• Transmission of rocky mountain spotted fever

  Spread by ticks
• Rickettsia rickettsi


  Causes rocky mountain spotted fever
• Rickettsia typhi

  Causes typhus
• Transmission of typhus caused by Rickettsia typhi

  Spread by fleas
• Symptoms of typhus caused by Rickettsia typhi

  Rash starts on trunk and spreads
• Typhus caused by Rickettsia typhi

  Endemic to certain regions
• Rickettsia prowazeki

  Causes epidemic typhus
• Transmission of epidemic typhus caused by Rickettsia prowazeki

  Spread by lice
• Rickettsia species

  Obligate intracellular bacteria
• Treatments for Rickettsia infections

  Chloramphenicol, doxycycline
• Typhus is not the same as typhoid fever
• Endemic means the disease exists permanently in a region, epidemic means an outbreak or new infestation