Microbiology and Immunology 3820A Lecture 6: Lecture 6 - Rickettsiae
Document Summary
Historical perspective: named after howard taylor ricketts, who isolated the etiologic agent of rocky. Mountain spotted fever and established the role of ticks in its transmission (1906-1909: outbreaks of typhus have changed the course of history on many occasions, especially in times of war and famine. Genera: rickettsia, orientia, ehrlichia (lichia- paul erlich- tried to find and kill syphilis, neorickettsia, anaplasma, coxiella, rickettsia, divided into the spotted fever group and the typhus group, transmitted by lice, ticks, fleas or mites. Diseases due to r. prowazeckii: epidemic louse borne typhus: from humans via infected louse feces. Unrx mortality 10-50%: louse: is a parasitic insect that lives on the skin of mammals and birds, sylvatic typhus: via contact with flying squirrels (glaucomys volans). Spotted fever group: ricketssialpox: is masqueraded by chicken pox perfectly people say they get, r. rickettsii: rmsf, r. akari: rickettsialpox (similar symptoms to chickenpox) chickenpox twice.