
Full text loading...
Category: General Interest; Microbial Genetics and Molecular Biology
The History of Epidemic Typhus, Page 1 of 2
< Previous page | Next page > /docserver/preview/fulltext/10.1128/9781555819170/9781555819163_Chap09-1.gif /docserver/preview/fulltext/10.1128/9781555819170/9781555819163_Chap09-2.gifAbstract:
Bacteria of the order Rickettsiales were first described as short Gram-negative bacillary microorganisms that retained basic fuchsin when stained by the method of Gimenez and grew in association with eukaryotic cells ( 1 ). In 1993, the order Rickettsiales was divided into three families—namely, Rickettsiaceae, Bartonellaceae, and Anaplasmataceae. Two distinct groups are found within the Rickettsia genus, including the spotted fever group and the typhus group. In the typhus group, the two species Rickettsia typhi and Rickettsia prowazekii are pathogenic in humans ( Table 1 ). R. typhi causes murine typhus, which is a flea-transmitted disease that occurs in warm climates ( 2 ). R. prowazekii is responsible for epidemic typhus, a disease of the cold months, during which heavy clothing and poor sanitary conditions are conducive to lice proliferation ( 3 ).
Full text loading...
Human body louse (Pediculus humanus corporis). Typical size is 2 to 4 mm.
Human body louse (Pediculus humanus corporis). Typical size is 2 to 4 mm.
Classic abdominal skin rash of typhus.
Classic abdominal skin rash of typhus.
Actual foci of epidemic typhus.
Actual foci of epidemic typhus.
General view of the burial site in Douai, France.
General view of the burial site in Douai, France.
Imperial-type button found in the grave in Vilnius.
Imperial-type button found in the grave in Vilnius.
Some epidemiological features of typhus group Rickettsiae
Some epidemiological features of typhus group Rickettsiae
History of epidemic typhus and the description of Rickettsia prowazekii
History of epidemic typhus and the description of Rickettsia prowazekii