Rickettsia typhi vs. prowazekii
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Rickettsia typhi + prowazekii
- R. prowazekii is a subtype of R. typhi
- Characteristics
- Gram negative
- Obligate intracellular
- Transmission
- R. typhi vectors are usually fleas
- Endemic, limited to areas where rats are common (rat fleas are implicated)
- R. prowazekki vector is human body louse (lice)
- Epidemic - widespread due to human-to-human transmission
- R. typhi vectors are usually fleas
- Presentation
- Both species cause (murine) typhus
- Nonspecific symptoms: fever, headache, myalgias
- Rash spreads outwards
- starts centrally on trunk and spreads to extremities
- spares palms and soles
- Contrast w Rickettsia rickettsii, which presents w/ rash on palms and soles
- Diagnosis
- Clinical, may be confirmed by indirect fluorescent assays
- Treatment
- Doxycycline
- Caution during pregnancy; alternative is chloramphenicol
- Doxycycline