Rickettsia prowazekii

Definition

Rickettsia prowazekii is a gram-negative, obligate intracellular bacterium that causes epidemic typhus. It primarily infects endothelial cells lining blood vessels, leading to severe vascular inflammation.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Rickettsia prowazekii is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected body louse (Pediculus humanus corporis).
2. The bacterium is known for causing epidemic typhus, which can be fatal if untreated.
3. It has a genome that is highly reduced and dependent on the host cell for many functions.
4. Symptoms of infection include high fever, rash, and severe headache.
5. Rickettsia prowazekii can remain dormant in the body and reactivate later to cause Brill-Zinsser disease.

Review Questions

• How is Rickettsia prowazekii transmitted to humans?
• What type of cells does Rickettsia prowazekii primarily infect?
• What disease can reoccur due to latent Rickettsia prowazekii infection?

Related terms

Epidemic Typhus: A severe infectious disease caused by Rickettsia prowazekii characterized by high fever, rash, and vascular inflammation.

Obligate Intracellular Bacteria: Bacteria that must reside within the cells of a host organism to survive and replicate.

Brill-Zinsser Disease: A recurrent form of epidemic typhus caused by reactivation of dormant Rickettsia prowazekii in previously infected individuals.