Murine Typhus

Current Context : A 75-year-old man from Kerala, who had recently traveled to Vietnam and Cambodia, was diagnosed with murine typhus, a bacterial infection caused by Rickettsia typhi.

ABOUT MURINE TYPHUS:

• It is an infectious disease caused by the flea-borne bacteria Rickettsia typhi.
• Transmission: Spread through bites from infected fleas or contact with their feces, especially when it enters cuts or abrasions on the skin. Humans cannot transmit it directly to one another.
• Symptoms: Usually appear 7 to 14 days after exposure and include fever, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting, and possibly a rash several days later.
• Common in tropical and subtropical regions. In India, it has been reported in the Northeast, Madhya Pradesh, and Kashmir.
• Treatment : No vaccine is available for murine typhus, but doxycycline is an effective antibiotic when used early.