Typhus: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

What is typhus?

Typhus is a severe infected disease caused by the Rickettsia bacteria. Typhus is not a transmitted from person to person. It is the infected arthropod including fleas, mites (chiggers), lice, or ticks that transmit the bacteria through its bites. The bacteria can sneak into your bloodstream through the scratch of the bite on your skin.

Causes of typhus

There are three different types of typhus. Each type has its particular bacterium and the arthropod transmitting the infection. The arthropods get the bacteria infection when feeding the blood of an infected person or an infected rodent. The feces of these infected arthropods may be deposited on your skin when they feeds on your blood. Scratching the bite will enable the bacteria to enter your bloodstream through the tiny open wound.

Epidemic typhus

This type is the most serious form of typhus which is caused by Rickettsia prowazekii bacteria. The body louse is the one carrying this bacterium. Epidemic typhus is found in areas of high population and poor sanitation, commonly in Africa, South America and Asia.

Endemic typhus

This type is the milder form of typhus, also known as murine typhus. It is Rickettsia typhi that causes the disease. Ticks, mites and fleas are those that transmit the disease. Endemic typhus is found worldwide.

Scrub typhus, also called Tsutsugamushi fever

This type is caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi bacteria and is transmitted by infected mites living in heavy scrub vegetation in parts of rural southeast Asia, Oceania and northern Australia.

Symptoms and signs of typhus

All of the three types including epidemic, endemic, and scrub typhus have the following symptoms. A person infected with typhus will start to feel unwell after 10 to 14 days since the infection.

The earliest and most common symptom is a sudden and severe headache.

Other symptoms may include:

• A fever. Your body temperature rises to 39degrees Celcius for up to 15 days.
• A reddish begins inthe chest and spreads to the arms, hands, legs and feet.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Pain in abdomen, joint and muscle, commonly backache.
• Diarrhea
• A cough

Additionally, the typhus-infected patient is often mentally dazed or delirious. They may also become deaf or have ringing in the ears (tinnitus). These symptoms above usually last around 15 days.

Treatment for Typhus

Doctor frequently use antibiotics to treat typhus. If treated properly, most patients will have a dramatic improvement after 48 hours of treatment and have a high chance to fully recover. There are three types of antibiotic that are commonly used including:

• This is the preferred treatment for most of the cases.
• This is the option for those not pregnant or breast-feeding.
• This antibiotic is used for patients who are unable to take doxycycline.

The patient with epidemic typhus may need to take antibiotics intravenously.

Prevention of Typhus

There’s currently no licensed vaccine for typhus. The best way to avoid this disease typhus is to avoid the contact with the infected arthropods by staying away from crowded places where louse-borne typhus is a problem. Keeping a personal hygiene helps to protect yourself from the infected insects. It is good to wash and change your clothes regularly. Avoid using any bedding or clothing that could be infested with body lice. If you’re about to travel abroad to an area where typhus has occurred, talk to your doctor about taking chemoprophylaxis with doxycycline for prevention.

Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.