Typhus (Murine)

Your Path

  • Typhus (Murine)

Etiology

  • Rickettsia infection: Obligate intracelluar gram negative organism

Risk Factors

  • Flea bite (primary host is cat, rat, opossum)
  • Southern and Central Texas; Southern California

Symptoms

  • 5-15 day incubation
  • Fever, headache, rash are the primary symptoms
  • Also malaise, chills, myalgias
  • 25% become severely ill (e.g. respiratory failure, shock, meningitis, renal failure, etc)

Physical Exam Findings

  • Fever
  • Pink morbilliform rash, that starts on trunk and spreads outward (sparing soles, palms)
  • Heaptomealy, conjunctivitis, splenomegaly in some

Tests