Epidemic typhus

Epidemic typhus is a disease caused by the bacterium Rickettsia prowazekii. It is one of the diseases known as Typhus, the other is endemic typhus. Sometimes it is mistaken for an unrelated disease with a similar name, Typhoid fever. The disease is spread by lice and fleas.^[1] Without treatment, as many as 60% of people who get the disease could die.^[1]

Signs of the disease

The signs of epidemic typhus include:^[1]

Chills
Cough
Fever
Pain in the joints
Pain in muscles
Eyes sensitive to light
Low blood pressure
Rash
Headache
Stupor

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 "Typhus - PubMed Health". ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. 2011. Retrieved 6 July 2011.

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[ncbi-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 "Typhus - PubMed Health". ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. 2011. Retrieved 6 July 2011.

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