Rickettsia typhi str. Wilmington

Rickettsia typhi is the causative agent of murine typhus or endemic typhus. Infection with Rickettsia typhi causes headache, fever, myalgia and leads to multisystem disease, including infection of the brain, lung, liver, kidney and heart. In severe cases R.typhi can cause meningoencephalitis, interstitial pneumonia and disseminated vascular lesions. It can be transmitted to the mammalian host by the bite of an infected flea or louse but the most important mechanism of inoculation is through the feces of the vector. Although distributed worldwide, it is mostly present in warm coastal areas harbouring large rat populations.(From http://www.expasy.org/sprot/hamap/RICTY.html) (BacMap)