Flying squirrel typhus

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Flying squirrel typhus is a condition characterized by a rash of early macules, and, later, maculopapules. [1]

The flying squirrel Glaucomys volans can transmit epidemic typhus. [2]

Apart from humans, flying squirrels are the only currently known reservoir for Rickettsia prowazekii . [3]

See also

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Southern flying squirrel Species of rodent

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Rickettsia prowazekii is a species of gram-negative, alphaproteobacteria, obligate intracellular parasitic, aerobic bacillus bacteria that is the etiologic agent of epidemic typhus, transmitted in the feces of lice. In North America, the main reservoir for R. prowazekii is the flying squirrel. R. prowazekii is often surrounded by a protein microcapsular layer and slime layer; the natural life cycle of the bacterium generally involves a vertebrate and an invertebrate host, usually an arthropod, typically the human body louse. A form of R. prowazekii that exists in the feces of arthropods remains stably infective for months. R. prowazekii also appears to be the closest free-living relative of mitochondria, based on genome sequencing.

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<i>Rickettsia conorii</i> Species of bacterium

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Rickettsia typhi is a small, aerobic, obligate intracellular, rod shaped gram negative bacterium. It belongs to the typhus group of the Rickettsia genus, along with R. prowazekii. R. typhi has an uncertain history, as it may have long gone shadowed by epidemic typhus. This bacterium is recognized as a biocontainment level 2/3 organism. R. typhi is a flea-borne disease that is best known to be the causative agent for the disease murine typhus, which is an endemic typhus in humans that is distributed worldwide. As with all rickettsial organisms, R. typhi is a zoonotic agent that causes the disease murine typhus, displaying non-specific mild symptoms of fevers, headaches, pains and rashes. There are two cycles of R. typhi transmission from animal reservoirs containing R. typhi to humans: a classic rat-flea-rat cycle that is most well studied and common, and a secondary periodomestic cycle that could involve cats, dogs, opossums, sheep, and their fleas.

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References

  1. Rapini, Ronald P.; Bolognia, Jean L.; Jorizzo, Joseph L. (2007). Dermatology: 2-Volume Set. St. Louis: Mosby. p. 1130. ISBN   978-1-4160-2999-1.
  2. Bechah Y, Capo C, Mege JL, Raoult D (July 2008). "Epidemic typhus". Lancet Infect Dis. 8 (7): 417–26. doi:10.1016/S1473-3099(08)70150-6. PMID   18582834.
  3. Reynolds MG, Krebs JS, Comer JA, et al. (October 2003). "Flying squirrel-associated typhus, United States". Emerging Infect. Dis. 9 (10): 1341–3. doi:10.3201/eid0910.030278. PMC   3033063 . PMID   14609478.