Murine typhus: endemic Rickettsia in southwest Texas.
Murine Typhus is a zoonosis caused by the organism Rickettsia typhi and is transmitted to humans by fleas. It is endemic in several areas of Texas, California and Hawaii where the vector is supported predominantly by rodents in addition to opossums, domestic and feral cats and domestic dogs. We present a typical case in an adult from Corpus Christi, located in one of the four endemic areas in Texas. Included is an overview of the organism's pathogenicity and our host responses, both influencing the milder clinical course seen with this species of Rickettsia.
Baptist College of Health Sciences, Memphis, TN 38104, USA. patty.liddell@BCHS.edu
Patty W
PW
Liddell
Mary Jean
MJ
Sparks
D000818:Animals; D002443:Ceftriaxone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004478:Ectoparasitic Infestations / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012286:Rickettsia typhi / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D005423:Siphonaptera / Q000382:microbiology; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology; D014437:Typhus, Endemic Flea-Borne / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*
D002443:Ceftriaxone; D004318:Doxycycline; D011241:Prednisone