Typhus, also known as typhus fever is a group of infectious diseases that include epidemic typhus, scrub typhus, and murine typhus. Common symptoms include fever, headache, and a rash.[1] Typically these begin one to two weeks after exposure.[2]
They are caused by a bacterial infection. Epidemic typhus is due to Rickettsia prowazekii spread by body lice, scrub typhus is due to Orientia tsutsugamushi spread by chiggers, and murine typhus is due to Rickettsia typhi spread by fleas.[1]
There is no vaccine. Prevention is by reducing exposure to the organisms that spreads the disease.[3][4][5] Treatment is with the antibiotic doxycycline.[2] Epidemic typhus generally occurs in outbreaks when poor sanitary and crowding are present.[6]Well once common, it is now rare.[3] Scrub typhus occurs in Southeast Asia, Japan, and northern Australia.[5] Murine typhus occurs in tropical and subtropical areas of the world.[4]
Typhus has been described since at least 1528. The name comes from the Greek typhus (τύφος) meaning hazy, describing the state of mind of those infected.[7] While "typhoid" means "typhus-like", typhus and typhoid fever are distinct diseases caused by different types of bacteria.[8]