Rickettsiae

Question 1

what are the Common features?

Answer 1

obligate intracellular bacteria

Not picked up on gram stain

Animal (rodents) and arthropods serve as their reservoirs

Transmitted by arthropod vectors (ticks, mites,lice)

humans are accidental hosts

Question 2

what symptoms indicate rickettsiae infection?

Answer 2

Headache, fever, myalgias + RASH

Question 3

what are the Species of medical importance rickettsiae?

Answer 3

• Rickettsia rickettsii - Rocky mountain spotted fever *
• Rickettsia akari – Rickettsial pox
• Rickettsia prowazekii – Epidemic typhus
• Rickettsia typhi – Endemic typhus
• Orientia tsutsugamushi - Scrub typhus