Murine typhus
Murine typhus, also known as endemic typhus or flea-borne typhus, is a form of typhus caused by Rickettsia typhi transmitted by fleas, usually on rats, in contrast to epidemic typhus which is usually transmitted by lice. Murine typhus is an under-recognized entity, as it is often confused with viral illnesses. Most people who are infected do not realize that they have been bitten by fleas. Historically the term "hunger-typhus" was used in accounts by British POWs in Germany at the end of World War I when they described conditions in Germany.
Names
Murine typhus is also commonly known as endemic or flea-borne typhus, other names include shop, urban, Mexican, and rat typhus.Signs and symptoms
Symptoms occur after 6–14 days with common symptoms being pyrexia, dermatitis, prostration, delirium, and in severe cases coma. Untreated patients may be bedridden for 2–3 months and some are unable to work.Transmission
Rickettsia typhi is the causative agent of murine typhus, the primary host species are Rattus rattus and R. norvegicus with transmission occurring via the faeces of fleas. The bacteria is excreted in the faeces of fleas and when a flea bite is scratched or picked at the bacteria enters the skin and commences infection. Other peridomestic rats and rodents are capable of being infected. Rats can also be infected from Hoplopleura pacifica, Polyplax spinulosa, Laelaps echidnina, Ornithonyssus bacoti, and chiggers.R. typhi is not lethal to rats and simply causes rickettsaemia. Fleas feed on infected rats and become infected with the rickettsiae spreading to the midgut epthilelial cells and replicating there, infected cells move to the gut lumen and are excreted with faeces. The most common flea vector is Xenopsylla cheopis with other species being X. astia, X. bantorum, X. brasiliensis, Ctenocephalides felis, Pulex irritans, Leptopsylla segnis, and Nosopsyllus fasciatus. X. cheopis has been shown to transfer R. typhi via bite in experimental settings and it has been theorised that aerosol transmission from faeces is possible as well. Some arthropods such as mites and chiggers can transfer R. typhi to rats but do not transfer the bacteria to humans.