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Rickettsia |
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Rickettsia /Rick·ett·sia/ (rĭ-ket´se-ah) a genus of the tribe Rickettsieae, transmitted by lice, fleas, ticks, and mites to humans and other animals, causing various diseases. Rickettsia a´kari the etiologic agent of rickettsialpox, transmitted by the mite Allodermanyssus sanguineus from the reservoir of infection in house mice. Rickettsia austra´lis the etiologic agent of North Queensland tick typhus, possibly transmitted by Ixodes ticks. Rickettsia cono´rii the etiologic agent of boutonneuse fever (Marseilles fever, Mediterranean fever) and possibly of Indian tick typhus, Kenya typhus, and South American tick-bite fever; transmitted by Rhipicephalus and Haemaphysalis ticks. Rickettsia prowaze´kii the etiologic agent of epidemic typhus and the latent infection Brill's disease, which are transmitted between humans via Pediculus humanus. Rickettsia rickett´sii the etiologic agent of Rocky Mountain spotted fever, transmitted by Dermacentor, Rhipicephalus, Haemaphysalis, Amblyomma, and Ixodes ticks. Rickettsia tsutsugamu´shi the etiologic agent of scrub typhus, transmitted by larval mites of the genus Trombicula, including T. akamushi and T. deliensis, from rodent reservoirs of infection. rickettsia /rick·ett·sia/ (rĭ-ket´se-ah) pl. rickett´siae an individual organism of the Rickettsiaceae.rickett´sial
Rickettsia A rod-shaped infectious microorganism that can reproduce only inside a living cell. Scrub typhus is a rickettsial disease. Mentioned in: Scrub Typhus Rickettsia [riket′sē·ə] pl. rickettsiae Etymology: Howard T. Ricketts, American pathologist, 1871-1910 a genus of microorganisms that combines aspects of both bacteria and viruses. They can be observed with a light microscope, divide by fission, and may be controlled with antibiotics. They also exist as viruslike intracellular parasites, living in the intestinal tracts of insects such as lice. Thus a human infested with lice is also likely to be infected with a form of typhus transmitted by Rickettsia prowazeki. Rickettsial diseases have been responsible for many of history's worst epidemics. The various species are distinguished on the basis of similarities in the diseases they cause. The spotted fever group includes diseases such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever and rickettsialpox; the typhus group includes epidemic typhus and murine typhus; and a miscellaneous group includes Q fever and trench fever. Rickettsial diseases are uncommon in parts of the world where insect and rodent populations are well controlled. rickettsial, adj. rickets (rik´ n a condition caused by deficiency of vitamin D or calcium in infants and children, with disturbance in the mineralization of osseous and dental tissues. Marked by bending and bowing of bones, nodular enlargements at the ends of bones, myalgia, delay in closure of fontanels, and other problems. See also osteomalacia. rickets, adult, n See osteomalacia. rickets, refractory, n See rickets, resistant. rickets, renal, n a disturbance marked by excessive excretion of phosphorus and calcium resulting from a lowered renal threshold of excretion of these mineral elements. See also osteodystrophy, renal. rickets, resistant, n (late rickets, refractory rickets), rickets that responds only to extremely large amounts of vitamin D. Rickettsia n a genus of microorganisms that combine aspects of both bacteria and viruses. Examples of rickettsial diseases are Rocky Mountain spotted fever and typhus. Rickettsia a genus of small, rod-shaped, round to pleomorphic microorganisms in the order Rickettsiales. They are true bacteria, gram-negative, and cultivable only in living tissues. Transmitted by lice and ticks, they cause disease in humans and domestic animals but are also found in the cytoplasm of tissue cells of lice, fleas, ticks and mites, which may act as reservoirs and vectors. See also ehrlichia and coxiella. Rickettsia akari causes rickettsial pox in humans, mice and rats. Rickettsia australis causes queensland tick typhus in humans, small marsupials, rats. Rickettsia canadensis causes new typhus in humans and rabbits. Rickettsia conjunctivae see Chlamydophila pecorum. Rickettsia conorii causes boutonneuse fever in humans and dogs and small feral mammals. Rickettsia ovina see Ehrlichia ovina. Rickettsia phagocytophila see Anaplasmaphagocytophila. Rickettsia prowazeki causes epidemic typhus in humans and possibly cattle, sheep and goats. Rickettsia rickettsii causes spotted fever in humans and many feral animals, especially rodents and in dogs and birds. See also rocky mountain spotted fever. Rickettsia ruminantium see Ehrlichiaruminantium. Rickettsia rupricaprae see Mycoplasmaconjunctivae. Rickettsia sibirica causes Siberian tick typhus in humans and many feral mammals, especially rodents. Rickettsia tsutsugamushi Rickettsia typhi causes murine typhus in humans and the brown rat. rickettsia pl. rickettsiae; an organism in the order Rickettsiales. How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. |
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Ricinus communis rickets Ricketts Rickettsia Rickettsia akari Rickettsia australis Rickettsia burnetii Rickettsia canadensis Rickettsia conorii Rickettsia prowazekii Rickettsia rickettsii Rickettsia tsutsugamushi Rickettsiaceae rickettsial rickettsial disease |
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