Murine typhus is caused by the organism Ricketssiae typhi. Murine typhus is a milder form of typhus and is seldom fatal. Infective rat fleas defecate rickettsiae while sucking blood, contaminating the bite site and other fresh wound sites. No person to person transmission.
Reservoir
Rats, mice and other mammals.
Incubation period
1 - 2 weeks.
Signs and Symptoms
- Headache
- Backache
- Joint pains
- High fever (105˚F)
- Rash (begins on trunk and then spreads peripherally)
Diagnosis
Culture
Treatment
Antibiotic treatment prescribed by medical doctor (include tetracycline or chlromphenicol).
Control and Prevention
- Public is encouraged to cease dumping domestic waste and bulky refuse in fields or building sites as these quickly turn into breeding grounds for rats.
- Apply insecticides powders to rat runs, burrows, harbourages.
- Educate on improving living conditions.