Osmosis video - Rickettsia rickettsii (Rocky Mountain spotted fever) and other Rickettsia species

Rickettsiae are a genus of Gram-negative coccobacilli, which includes Rickettsia rickettsii known to cause Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF); and Rickettsia prowazekii that causes epidemic typhus; and Rickettsia typhi, which is known to cause endemic typhus. Rickettsia rickettsii is transmitted through ticks; Rickettsia prowazekii through lice; whereas Rickettsia typhi is transmitted through rat fleas. Symptoms of Rickettsiae infections depend on the type but may include fever, headache, malaise, myalgias, arthralgias, and skin rashes. Rickettsiae can be diagnosed with serologic tests such as indirect immunofluorescence or with special stains on a skin biopsy and they can be treated with antibiotics like doxycycline or chloramphenicol.