Epidemic spotted fever

Last Updated: 2023-01-10

Author(s): Anzengruber F., Navarini A.

ICD11: 1C30.0

  • Paratyphus
  • Tularaemia

  • Ricketts 1909.
  • Brill 1910.

Spotted typhus, typhus exanthematicus, classical spotted fever, louse spotted fever.

Extremely rare, notifiable disease caused by Rickettsia prowazekii with high lethality.

  • Pathogen: Rickettsia prowazekii.
  • Incubation period: 7-14 days.
  • Rickettsia prowazekii is transmitted by clothes lice or their faeces. The pathogens enter the body through skin lesions as part of the sucking act.

  • Unspecific early stage (cephalgia, exhaustion).
  • In the course: Fever, somnolence.
  • 3rd-6th days after onset of fever Appearance of roseolae with partly punctate haemorrhages on the trunk, which spread centrifugally. Palmoplantar involvement.
  • Muscle twitching, pressure sensitivity of peripheral nerves, motor restlessness.
  • Hypotonia.
  • Bronchitis, conjunctivitis, splenomegaly.
  • Mostly lice can be detected (pediculosis corporis)
  • Facies typhosa: Livid-reddish face.

  • History.
  • Clinical.
  • Lice infestation.
  • BB (leucopenia, eosinophilia), liver and kidney values, electrolytes.
  • From the 2nd week of illness. Week of illness Weil-Felix reaction (agglutination test).
  • From the 3rd week of illness complement fixation reaction and indirect immunofluorescence test.

  • Vaccination available.

  • If no early therapy is given, a high lethality is to be expected.
  • In cases where antibiotic therapy is discontinued early, late relapses may occur (Brill-Zinsser disease).
  • After the disease is completely overcome, there is lifelong immunity.

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  2. Chapman, A.S., et al., Cluster of Sylvatic Epidemic Typhus Cases Associated with Flying Squirrels, 2004–2006. Emerg. Infect. Dis., 2009. 15(7): p. 1005-1011.
  3. Raoult, D., et al., Outbreak of epidemic typhus associated with trench fever in Burundi. The Lancet, 1998. 352(9125): p. 353-358.
  4. Beutler, M. (2007). Keine Panik bei Läusen!. Pharmajournal, (18), 4-8. Retrieved from http://www.pharmasuisse.org/data/Oeffentlich/de/Publikationen/AKA-Publikationen/07_18_Laeuse_2_d.pdf